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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27757519">Death Note: The Written Musical</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/infinitefalltohell/pseuds/infinitefalltohell'>infinitefalltohell</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Death Note &amp; Related Fandoms, Death Note: The Musical - Wildhorn/Murphy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(kinda like the ones Light does in his bedroom when he thinks no one can hear him), Angst, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Humans, Idiots in Love, Lots of monologues, Love, M/M, Mind Games, Romance, Sad Ending, Shinigami, definitely gay, monologues</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:34:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>30,765</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27757519</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/infinitefalltohell/pseuds/infinitefalltohell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>'Very, very quickly, the line between Kira’s intentions and his desires became blurred. And as genius as Kira was, not even he could clear the blinding blur, for his emotions had clouded his vision and for he too was human, something he seemed to forget when his head was filled with godly visions and prodigious plans.'</p><p>From musings about humans by Shinigami, to humans with god-like abilities playing the game of emotion, to contemplations of love, welcome to the Death Note Musical!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Amane Misa/Yagami Light (one-sided), L/Yagami Light, amane misa/rem (one-sided)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Overture</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Mates! Hello! I have actually planned this story for a while, hence why I have at least 3-4 chapters already pre-written. I've wanted to do this for the longest time, so I hope you all like it! Each chapter will be based off a single song in the English Death Note musical, loosely following that plot. </p><p>Please leave me a comment, I always appreciate it! &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With Kira’s rise, the world seemed to be shouting louder and louder, slowly rising from what was once a quiet society to one that seemed to be so loud that history had never seen anything like it before. The people were speaking, sharing their opinions, voicing their protests. The people were so immersed in their own world that they didn’t take the time to notice that Kira didn’t care for them. Kira wasn’t meant to be an idol, he was meant to be a god, a revolution. Gods didn't lower themselves to interact with the citizens that they served. Couldn’t the people see that? Or were their glasses tinted to a rose gold so blurred that they couldn’t even note the simplest of knowledge? </p><p>“Kira!” The people screamed, from different parts of the world, in different scenarios, with different reasons as to why they may be shouting. Some were protesting, others were crying, others were worshipping. There was one similarity between them all, just one: Kira had impacted them all, in ways they couldn’t understand, in ways they were too simple to understand. Humans were naïve and foolish, and perhaps, this was the time that showed it the most. </p><p>With Kira’s rise, came many great and terrible things, both sides of the coin seemed to be almost identical in the way they looked. It all came down to perception, those who thought Kira’s actions were doing the world a favour, and those who thought Kira was just as morally black as the criminals he killed. They said these opinions loudly as if they were important, as if they held any significance to Kira himself. Kira, however, was too self involved with his own problems and his own whimsical life to care. Kira was too occupied playing the game of morality with both the one he was meant to kill and the one he was developing an attachment to. </p><p>There were those who despised Kira with every fibre of their being, who protested loudly to anyone who listened, who shouted: “Kira is just as bad as they are! Murder is never acceptable, no matter the circumstance! There are better ways to save the world, there are better ways to make sure a criminal never commits their crime again!” However, their shouts were faded in the background, drowned out by the screaming of the Kira worshippers. </p><p>Kira was not just a person, or a name. According to their perception, he was a god, perhaps even a group of gods. A god that was declaring and determining justice for them, a god that made their world a better place. To most, the leaders of their world were corrupt and unjust, however, Kira was different. They thought Kira to be justice, they thought Kira to be everything that they didn’t and couldn’t have in the past. Kira was their justice, Kira was their second chance, Kira was the only chance they needed. </p><p>They may have known him for a week; however, they wouldn’t hesitate to do whatever they needed to. Whatever Kira needed them to do. They kneeled on their knees, they prayed for the new world to complete itself quickly, they prayed for justice. They had been so brainwashed by a false blanket of security that within such a short period of time, they had started believing that Kira was their saviour, that he was the god that would lead them into a historical revolution. To them, Kira was justice, Kira was the reason for their good fortune, Kira was everything they needed in order to live in a peaceful society. He could do what all others couldn't. </p><p>Kira was supernatural, the people weren’t stupid enough to ignore that fact. He was their god, he was their saviour from the heavens above, or their demon from the hells below, depending on who one asked. </p><p>“24 more criminals have died of a heart attack! Are they all due to Kira, or are they just coincidental? Either way, I suppose we’ll never know. The mystery behind Kira is one we contemplate with intrigue and wonder! He is doing us a favour to this world, that, we know. Now, onto the weather.” The news reporter announced, it was the same feeling every time. The suspense, the thrill. To most, it shouldn’t have been thrilling, to watch the numbers rise and fall, to watch people centre their entire world around someone they had only known for a week. Kira’s influence would be one no one would ever be able to surpass, in only a week, he had captured the attention of the entire world, he had them talking. He had people in fear, in awe, in admiration, in fury, he had captured the emotions of the general public, whether it was hatred or obsession.</p><p>The world was now centred around Kira and his actions, he was their reason to get up in the morning, whether it was to worship or to complain. He was their reason to work, to make a more peaceful society in order to fulfil Kira’s ideals. It might’ve only been a week, yet, Kira had become their moon, the person that society centred themselves around without knowing. Many things had been adjusted to fit Kira’s ideals. Many forms of media had made themselves known to be pro-Kira as well, whilst only a few remained on the other side. </p><p>Some might’ve said that Kira influenced positive change, others would’ve said that it didn’t change the fact that Kira had no morals. However, either way, their opinions weren’t of any significance to Kira, not that they knew. However, Kira didn’t do what he did for the people, he did it for the start of a new world, a ‘safe’ world, one freed of criminals and terror. One that he would rule with his notebook and pen of justice. </p><p>At least, those were his intentions in the beginning. </p><p>Very, very quickly, the line between Kira’s intentions and his desires became blurred. And as genius as Kira was, not even he could clear the blinding blur... for his emotions had clouded his vision and for he too was human. Something he seemed to forget when his head was filled with godly visions and prodigious plans.  </p><p>--</p><p>To L, this case was an enigma, a case which held more questions than answers. The Kira case was unlike any he had ever solved before, the Kira case was one of mystery and intrigue, one that had so many connections to so many other things. L watched his computer screen from his dark, small room with interest, casually adding more sugar cubes to his tea as he did so.</p><p>More murders, every day, the number slowly grew. The case intrigued L to a point in which he was willing to solve it. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before, it seemed to be more of a game than a crime, if he was being truthful. As if Kira was so bored that he decided to kill someone. As if the world around him was so blurred, so uninteresting, that the only thing to clear this world was to take people from it. This was a game more about morality rather than anything else, which piqued L’s interests immensely. This wasn’t like the many cases he had solved in the past, no, it seemed to be more similar to the Beyond Birthday case, one he was personally invested in for a long time.</p><p>He chose this case simply because he was allowed to pick and choose, because out of all the cases he could choose to solve, this one was the most interesting, this one was one that sparked his passion for detective work. For a long time, L had been feeling unmotivated, he had been falling into the same pattern that came with depression over and over again, time and time again. When change came, that signalled hope, and L would be foolish to not follow it.</p><p>It was easy for L to admit that many cases did not interest him, as they were too simple, every single time, the conclusions were identical, the sentences, the evidence. What once was a source of entertainment for L became somewhat uninteresting after a while. Detective work was nowhere near as hard as the stories made it out to be. Even someone as intelligent and grounded in reality as L could fall into the trap of fiction. Fiction gave off the inclination that 'detective work was never easy, but in the end, the good guys always win'. However, that was the very problem with L. He didn’t fit into the formula that was created for detectives, he simply was too strange for that. </p><p>The only solid information there was on this case were the murders and times of murders, and even the number of murders known was limited, considering some of them could’ve died from non-Kira causes. Everything was a coincidence, even what were known to be facts, there was an uncertainty to the case which intrigued L significantly. There was a certain instability to it, that despite Kira’s ‘good’ intentions, his actions were seemingly corrupt. There were many assumptions he could make from the numbers; however, those were listed as coincidences in his mind, there were no hard facts to solidify this.</p><p>Whilst looking through what information of the Kira case was available as of far, L could see the parallels between himself and Kira, between who was meant to be the enemy and who was meant to be the hero. It was horrific to see two sides of the same coin almost identical, yet, significantly deeper. According to his deductions, Kira hated losing, and he was childish within his own right, naïve would perhaps be the better word for it. His beliefs seemed to match up to the beliefs a child would have, Kira’s perception on the world was the same as a naïve child’s. However, L knew that no child would have the capability to kill as strategically as he had done. No child would have the capacity to think as Kira did. </p><p>But perhaps those were coincidences, perhaps L was wrong? No, he hadn’t been wrong before, and he certainly wouldn’t be now. Before, being right was a matter of keeping his reputation the way it was, but now? One mistake could risk the lives of himself and many others, one mistake could dictate his entire future. Kira wasn’t exactly just a criminal who made headlines for a day or two then fucked off, no, Kira sculpted a new world from his own hands, wrote a new world from names alone.</p><p>He couldn’t allow himself to get emotionally immersed in the case, despite his appearances, he was fragile, he was sensitive. There was a reason the quote: ‘Ignorance is bliss’ existed. L couldn’t allow himself to get attached, or it might just destroy him. </p><p>To get emotionally intertwined with Kira was to get emotionally intertwined with corruption, and L couldn’t allow himself to get attached, no matter how appealing it seemed. </p><p>No matter how fresh an apple may look, one must wash it before it is eaten. </p><p>No matter how charming a serial killer suspect looks, one must investigate them before falling.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Where Is The Justice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Light observed the cloudy grey sky outside, the window being the only barrier between himself and freedom. He sat in class, a disinterested look in his eyes as he stared out to the dull colours outside. With a silent sigh, he placed his head onto his hand, focusing onto the smattering of shades that the clouds presented. The paper in front of him had creased slightly with how Light’s elbows were placed, creating the perfect image of disarray within a usually composed area. Signifying the lightning bolt that occasionally flashed among those dark grey clouds. </p><p>He was in philosophy class, a class he would usually find slightly more captivating than the others, if only they weren’t talking about what factors influenced a person to choose a certain song as their favourite. Wasn’t philosophy meant to be thought provoking and intriguing? At least, that was what Light asked himself, before a brief silence filled his mind, unable to answer what should’ve been a simple question. Thunder roared dully in the background, many of the people around him tuning out the beautiful sound of nature. That; combined with the darkening clouds and the lightning created a beautiful picture, if one could be bothered to look. </p><p>To describe his emotions in simpler meaning: He was bored. As genius as he might have been, he was still human, hence, he couldn’t muster the energy needed to pay attention to his teacher’s droning. His mind struggled to find something to think about, something to fill the silence with. Until it did find something. School. Yet another corrupt system that needed to change but would never change. </p><p>School was a fickle concept in Light’s mind, he genuinely didn’t understand why the system was the way it was. Victims apologized for being bullied, teachers thought putting pressure on students would help them learn more, districts paid schools less than they needed, hoping they would make do. It was corrupt, as were many other systems. Light didn’t understand why students complained that the work was hard, surely, they could just study? Or hire tutors? Light believed that incompetence and laziness lined up, especially in regard to schoolwork.</p><p>Intelligence and empathy never necessarily lined up either, which was the case with Light. His lack of empathy could only be noticed by those who looked for it, but even then, they may not have been able to find it. Not because it wasn’t there, no, but because Light had thought about those possibilities, he knew how to make people think what he wanted them to think. Light was a manipulator, one who controlled the world around him to suit his purpose. Most of it was subconscious, after all, Light was not a godlike figure, or at least, he shouldn’t have been.</p><p>“Yagami-san?” Light didn’t turn around, not hearing the teacher. He subconsciously had blocked all noise out whilst looking out that large window, watching as the clouds moved slowly, and as wind blew through the trees harshly. With a disinterested expression, Light bent his head slightly to increase his view of the sky in an attempt to search for the sun, which was currently invisible. It looked as if it was going to rain soon, the clouds slowly darkening, this colouring unnoticeable to anyone except those who avidly looked for it. Thunder still rumbled quietly despite this lack of rain, lightning not yet striking.</p><p>“Yagami-san…?” Light still didn’t hear him, now drowning in his own musings as to find some form of entertainment. Everyone around him lacked intelligence and excitement it seemed, as Light found himself constantly bored by his peers. He found it physically impossible to focus, his thoughts rushing through his head, finding something to monologue about. This lecture was the same as every other, merely using a different example. According to Light’s understanding, philosophy was very repetitive, despite how interesting it was. Each time they laced the question with a different example, in hopes that no one would notice their similarities. There were never any inconsistencies with it, which Light supposed was a benefit. It made it easier to go through. There was less to memorise and less to study, all of which benefitted Light perfectly.</p><p>“Yagami-san!” Light’s head snapped to the front, eyes widening only slightly with surprise, before relaxing into a more neutral expression. His classmates were all faced towards him, supposedly in disbelief at Light’s lack of focus. It was very out of character for someone as attentive as he was. Light exhaled deeply, biting his tongue before he spoke. Light knew how to adapt; he knew how to manipulate in order to win the race.</p><p>“I apologise.” He bowed his head and waited for class to resume, which it didn’t. Everyone continued to stare at him. He stared back, a hardness overcoming his eyes and the feeling of boredom returning. His teacher was the one to snap the class out of this state of shock, addressing Light directly. </p><p>“Your father is a police officer, yes? Yagami-san, what are your opinions on justice within that system?” Light’s eyes brightened at the mention of it, boredom suddenly fading away. He loved discussing justice, he loved everything about it. To him, it was so complex, and intriguing, and he loved to talk to himself about it in his room, all alone. Now to share those opinions?  </p><p>“I think that the guilty shouldn’t go free. I think that justice should allow for us citizens to feel safe within our own area. We shouldn’t have to worry about criminals getting away from their punishments, everyone says the world isn’t black and white, but our justice system should be. You commit a crime, you pay the consequences, it is as simple as that.” he stated firmly, his eyes drifting towards the teacher. Light's pride shone in the classroom, his eyes bright at the mere thought of justice, let alone discussing it with others. The teacher, however, looked almost disappointed with Light, as if he had said something wrong or suspicious. </p><p>“Thank you, Yagami-san. Please pay attention to the rest of the class.” Light nodded distantly, eyes turning towards the board. The teacher continued to teach, with an unsettled feeling to him. His voice was more hesitant as he spoke and his explanations were unmotivated without their usual spark of life. </p><p>Light didn’t know why the teacher seemed to be disappointed, he shared his opinion didn’t he? Was it not what he was expecting? Light thought that he had to be right, that there was no way he could be wrong, so why did the teacher look so upset? Was it because Light had ‘seen through’ what he wasn’t meant to? Was it because he saw the difference between right and wrong, and everyone else hadn’t?</p><p>As he stared out to the grey once more, a black notebook fell from the sky slowly, its pages wide open. Light’s eyes widened when he saw it, looking to his classmates to see if anyone else had seen it. No one else had, they were either looking at their books or at the teacher, typical. He turned back to the window, only to see the notebook still falling, almost as if he were in a Shonen manga and the action had been slowed for cinematic purposes. Something felt unreal about the situation, something felt fictional about it, inhuman.   </p><p>Light felt compelled to read the notebook’s contents, to see what secrets it hid, to see just how it fell from the sky when only he had been looking. He raised his hand and excused himself to the bathroom, leaving the classroom swiftly without turning back, walking in the opposite direction of said bathroom. He was going to find that notebook, he knew he had to. He could feel its gravitational pull towards him, as if he would be missing out on something without it. There was this feeling flowing through him, something powerful, something euphoric.</p><p>The notebook seemed to be summoning him, pulling him in its direction. Something was strange about that notebook, as if it had come from somewhere Light didn’t know had existed. As he walked down the corridor, footsteps filling the silence, a spark had filled his eyes, one of curiosity, an emotion he hadn’t felt in a very long time.</p><p>Once he was in the courtyard, he stood in front of the now closed fallen notebook, reading the words on the front cover. ‘Death Note’ it read, white romaji letters covering the top of that cover. Rain droplets sprinkled the notebook, however, if the book was to be tipped down, said water would fall away with no lasting effect. Light reached for the notebook and picked it up, holding it in his smooth hands whilst observing it. Wonder had overtaken him entirely, a childlike curiosity bubbling inside him, just waiting to be answered. </p><p>Light couldn’t help but feel as if his life had just changed in that moment. That life would no longer be the dull, colourless blur it used to be. As if something interesting was about to happen. This notebook’s impact on him was already very strong, who knew what it could do in the near future? </p><p>He placed the notebook in his bookbag, securing it with the zip. As he walked out from the schoolyard, he turned behind him, almost as if he was leaving something behind. As if he was leaving someone behind.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi everyone! I hope you're all enjoying the story as of far, I have Chapter 3 already written (which I'm extremely excited to publish) and I'm finishing up Chapter 4, if everything goes to plan, I'll always be at least 2 chapters ahead so I can write everyday!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. They're Only Human</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Ahh, humans are fascinating! They’re so foolish, so naïve.” Ryuk chuckled loudly, throwing his head back passionately. He then turned to another Shinigami, silently asking for another opinion, who glared at him before turning back to their poker game which they were losing. Another chuckle from the winner, another careless shrug from the loser, Ryuk rolled his eyes and walked away, deciding to watch the humans from above instead of bothering other Shinigami with his presence. </p><p>Humans intrigued him, how the beings so different from themselves worked and functioned. Their world was so different, so bright and colourful. The Shinigami world meanwhile was rotten and dying, it was a dark metallic grey and it was disgusting. If an outsider of neither species was to look at the two worlds, they would assume that humans were the superior and that the shinigamis were a desperate, dying race (despite having ‘god’ in their name). </p><p>They were so different to humans as well, drastically so. Humans were foolish, they were naïve, they believed the world centred around them. They were selfish, they took advantage of the things they were granted in good faith, they manipulated situations to their advantage to defeat other humans. They embraced their selfish and terrible natures when they should’ve been ashamed of it. They were nothing like Shinigami, Shinigami were dull, they were mostly the same. But humans… they were something else entirely. </p><p>Most of them were similar visually, basically a slightly tweaked looking version of the others around them. The world around them was the most colourful it could be, but the humans themselves didn’t have much variation when it came to natural shaping and colouring. To Ryuk, they didn’t look too different, considering he was a Shinigami and his kind usually had more variation in their looks. Humans couldn’t fly, not with wings anyway, nor could they kill, not without weapons of some kind anyway. They didn’t have notebooks to kill each other when needed, instead, they caused a fuss and used different, less convenient means. </p><p>Killing wasn’t moral in their world, nor did most view death as a cycle of life. They instead acted as if it was devastating, as if there was some form of sorrow to be held for the dead. Humans cared for one another far more than Shinigami ever could. Whilst humans were selfish, yes, they were also attached, and once they were pulled apart… they cried about it and they blamed the gods above for their own demises. They blamed inanimate objects for natural paths of life, they just hated to own up to their own mistakes. As if there would be a consequence for doing so. They complicated things that didn’t need to be complicated and made sub-categories for things that don’t matter to anyone other than their overly paranoid selves. Accountability was a rarity in their world, especially among those who ruled it. </p><p>Their personalities and behaviours could often be categorised into types, which types could be categorised into something bigger. Humans were just tabs for Ryuk, he could place them into different categories depending on what traits they exhibited. Over the years, Ryuk had seen many humans, none of them particularly extraordinary. Except for one, the only one that had caught his eye. Out of the many humans he could see, he was the only human with had captured his interest. Only one who seemed to be different to the others within his world. One in seven billion, or so they said…</p><p>His name was Yagami Light, a 17-year-old Japanese high-school student who seemed to be the human representation of perfect. Ryuk found him to be intriguing, to be different to other students, other humans. He was intelligent, abnormally so, he was dismissive and cold towards most internally, whilst putting on a face of empathy and compassion. This young human had intrigued Ryuk, because he wasn’t like the others, he was almost supernatural in a sense. There was something god-like about him that perhaps hadn’t come out yet…</p><p>He was a liar, this Yagami Light. But unlike other humans, he didn’t need to lie to win the race, for he had already won it in many ways. He lied for the sake of creating a façade, to save himself from the hurt and the sorrow that most experience with mistakes and imperfection. It was almost as if… he lied for fun. As if the only form of amusement this boy had was others believing the lies that he twisted. It wasn’t amusement derived from a sick pleasure to lie; it was self-deprecating rather than psychopathic. But then again, that was also Ryuk thinking of Light as if he didn’t have any human qualities at all, which at that he did.</p><p>He was human, yet, there was something very inhuman about him. Something that could only be associated with Ryuk’s own kind. In Ryuk’s boredom-filled mind, he had glorified Light slightly, he chose not to see the human qualities of him, because what entertainment would that bring? Ryuk prided himself on being one that did not care, however, the emotions still consumed him.</p><p>It excited him, thrilled him unlike anything else ever had before. The duty of his kind was to waste away in the dark sky above, however, Ryuk knew that his being was worth more than that. That he shouldn’t have to waste away if he didn’t have to, surely, if there was something else to do, then why was he not doing it? His own selfishness for thrill had far exceeded any of his other far more important priorities…</p><p>Hence, when the black notebook fell from the sky, it was Ryuk who watched in amusement when he saw the genuine fascination on Light Yagami’s face, it was Ryuk who leaned back against a blackening rock nearby whilst cackling to himself at the mere thought of what he had done. However, it was Rem who watched what Ryuk had done, and it was Rem who had decided to follow in Ryuk’s footsteps soon enough.</p><p>Rem was similar to Ryuk in the way that she too found humans fascinating, except, she didn’t derive amusement from them, she was genuinely curious about how they lived and all the different things they had. She supposed that in that way she was much like the cartoon princess Ariel, always wanting to visit the world that wasn’t her own, wanting to collect things from the human world that they didn’t have in the Shinigami world. The human world was very colourful compared to the dull Shinigami wasteland.</p><p>Rem craved colour, she craved energy, she craved the eccentric life that humans took advantage of every day. She desired to see how they saw things, she wished to observe them and study them. Humans were simply delightful, with their creative prowess and their way with imagery. </p><p>She would often watch Gelus before he died, wondering just how love could apply to all beings, even to common Shinigami such as him. Gelus always sat at the same screen of the human to Shinigami portal, looking at Amane Misa, or known by other humans as Misa-Misa. She seemed to be famous among her beings, her reason for being famous, Rem couldn’t remember, however, she amused it was for some entertainment or another. Either way, Gelus was completely enamoured with her, watching the human with this light in his eyes that Rem couldn’t quite describe. She assumed that the poets of the human world would be able to describe it, as their grasp on emotions was a lot better than the beings that sat among her.</p><p>In the Shinigami realm, gambling was their only entertainment, there was really nothing more to do. However, the human world seemed to be very diverse in their entertainment and how they amused themselves. They didn’t waste away as them Shinigami did. All of them were wasting away really, in some shape or form. Whether it was in the form of gambling, sleeping, or watching humans from the portal. Humans however, lived as if it would be their last chance to do so, as if they weren’t living to die in the end anyway. It was almost like they would be remembered for centuries to come; however, Rem knew this to be wrong, not many would be remembered decades after their passing. </p><p>Rem was a rational being, however, even she could dream, could fascinate. She often thought about the human world, she had formed her interests on different things they had and she had found certain groups of people to be more interesting than others. Of course, she kept quiet on these opinions, since she was very well aware that other Shinigami didn’t care for humans, at least, not in the way she did. Rem always had stirring curiosity inside of her at the mere thought of humans, let alone how they lived.</p><p>When Gelus had passed away… Rem struggled to grasp with how. How was he able to fall for a human? How was he able to save her from death, in turn, sacrificing himself to nothingness? Rem didn’t understand just how a Shinigami had the capacity to do that, just how a Shinigami would have the capacity to feel those emotions. Surely, emotions were for humans? No, Shinigami did have emotions, but they were dull and they lacked the complexity of human emotions. Then what was the feeling that Gelus had for Amane Misa? Was it the thing that the storytellers and poets of the human world spoke of with a heavy heart, as they wrote about the emotion that had destroyed them all in one form or another?</p><p>In Amane Misa’s hands now laid Gelus’ Death Note, and Rem felt as if it was her duty to be the Shinigami looming over her. Perhaps it was because she wanted to compensate for Gelus, perhaps she felt that if she was to enter the human world and immerse herself in the way that they lived, that perhaps she would stop being so fascinated by it. The human story-tellers would always say “curiosity killed the cat”, if she was to go to the human world, then perhaps she would find out the meaning to that peculiar phrase…</p><p>This was selfish and unlike her, that, she knew, however, she had made a decision, for better or for worse. Perhaps, once she entered the human world and lived amongst them, her undying questions would be answered. She would live a short lifetime’s worth of cheap thrills and temporary bursts of excitement before coming back to the Shinigami world to waste away again, fantasising about her days in world so unlike her own. </p><p>Maybe, just maybe, she would understand the reason Gelus looked at ‘Misa-Misa’ the way he did.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello everyone! </p><p>This chapter is actually my favourite of all the ones I've written as of far, I truly like this chapter, I do. I hope you enjoy it as well! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Hurricane</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It wasn’t working, every attempt was backfiring. </p><p>Light was pacing in his bedroom, near silent footsteps walking to each side of the room and back, head turning different directions as to subconsciously attempt to focus on something else. Something other than what he had been thinking about, literally anything else but the object in question. Light resisted the urge to hold it in his hands, to stare at it the way he hadn’t stared at anything before. He was ready to respect and admire it as if it came from a godly source, but the urge was resisted and the rationality came in.  </p><p>For the past few hours, the hours in which he was meant to be studying, Light had been trying to convince himself that the book was a joke. That there was no possible way it could be real, surely it was just a prank from some of the reckless teenagers out of town. However, Light simply couldn’t follow that logic, they were too dumb, they wouldn’t write all these rules and all these exceptions in both Japanese and English. They couldn’t create something this intelligent, no, it couldn’t be anything logical. Why else would it fall from the sky? </p><p>No matter how long Light attempted to convince himself of something he instinctively knew to be a lie, on the inside he could still feel its power pulling to him, ensnaring him into a dangerous game of dependence. He needed to test it, he needed to write a name, to test its validity. </p><p>Light was well aware that murder was wrong, however, when criminals entered the mix, was it really so wrong? They were the people his father faced everyday, perhaps the one reason he didn’t stay home as often as he should’ve. If there were less of them, if someone was to wipe the criminals from the face of the earth, then surely everything would work out? His Dad would be home more often, the world would be safe of the criminals who lurked behind the unsuspecting, and Light would finally find something to do. Something to cure him of the boredom that had plagued him for so long. </p><p>However, it was not that simple, Light was fully aware. If this power was real, and he had the feeling it was, then the unimaginable control that came with it was in his hands. The control that could turn any human insane if it was in their hands. He could kill whoever he thought was necessary, he could do whatever he felt he needed to in order to fulfil justice. As Light stared into the depths of his bedroom walls, turning to different sides each time he found an end, he contemplated. This control… it would make any human insane, yes? Light knew he was different to most humans, but just how different was he? Did he differ enough that he would not drive himself insane by the sheer power the Death Note gave? Or in the end, was he only human, just like the rest of the beings among him? </p><p>For the first time in a very long time, Light’s mind was blank and he had no idea what to do.</p><p>One hour later, he found himself sat at the desk, Death Note wide open, pen rested in hand, watching the news on his miniature television. The bright screen burned his eyes, as the other light he had on, his desk light burned dully in comparison to the screen. An old man appeared on the television and reported the news for the day, the screen flashing as the scene changed.</p><p>“A man by the name of Kurou Otoharada has brutally murdered six children and is currently on the run from the police. Information is coming to us by the minute, the situation will be updated soon.” Light looked from the television screen to the blank pages of the Death Note, hesitating for only a second before writing his first name.</p><p>‘Kurou Otoharada’ he wrote, the characters forming themselves with utter elegance. It was almost as if he was writing the name for the title of a school project, rather than the person who would face his demise within 40 seconds. Light’s darkened eyes looked to the miniature television and waited, watching the seconds from the screen, probably for some countdown or another. They were the longest 40 seconds of his life, his heart was pounding the quickest it ever had. If this anticipation was all for nothing, Light wouldn't know what to do. His hand trembled, and his entire body shook with it. Would the man die? Or was this notebook an elaborate joke? </p><p>“We have just gotten news from our team on the scene! Kurou Otoharada has died! We don’t know how, but according to officials…” Light tuned the news presenter out, pen falling from his trembling hand. </p><p>He just killed someone. With a method as simple as writing a name down, he had taken a life. A life which most likely was connected to other lives, a life which could’ve been full of potential if only it didn’t spiral into the world of crime. The simplicity of it, yet the dangers that came with it… Surely, he deserved it? He had murdered children, who also had so much potential and promise in their lives. This cycle quickly confused Light and made him ask himself what he was feeling. </p><p>“Light?” the voice of his younger sister broke through his thoughts. Light turned around with a small smile on his face, hoping she wouldn’t see that something was wrong. Was a smile enough to keep a secret so big?</p><p>“Dinner’s ready.” Light shook his head, feeling slightly sick as he did so. There was no way he could eat, not after processing what he had just done. His stomach twisted and turned, he felt nauseated. He held his hand up, bowing lightly in gratitude.</p><p>“I have a lot of studying to do Sayu, I think I’ll skip dinner this time. But thank you.” Sayu frowned, but nodded, nonetheless. She shut the door with a concerned look on her face, running downstairs to tell her mother. </p><p>Light turned the television off shakily, eyes blurring as he stared into the page in which he had written the name on. This notebook was dangerous, it was deadly… Light now knew that for certain. It was as simple as writing a name and waiting 40 seconds in order for justice to come above all. Light knew it was dangerous, yes, however, surely it could be used safely?</p><p>Light stood up from his desk and turned his desk light off, the room covering itself in darkness sans the light from the moon outside. He walked towards his window and glanced to the stars in curiosity, in search of the answers to the existential questions in his mind. </p><p>The Death Note was a dangerous object, there was no doubt about that, however, could he be the one who could tame it? Who could use it in order to revolutionise justice? Could he be the one to change the world into what he personally thought it needed to be? This Death Note… it could solve everything; it would solve everything. His boredom would lift off his shoulders, the police would no longer struggle as they did so. The world would be justified. He had a feeling that once he picked up the notebook, he wouldn't be able to part from it. He could do something good with it at least whilst he had it.</p><p>Would it drive him to insanity? Light was positive that it wouldn’t, he wasn’t like many others of his kind, he had been told that for so long, he knew it was true. He thought of himself to be like a god in a sense, above all mortals and above all those who dared to challenge him. His whole life, he had been perfect according to all those around him, he hadn’t ever made a single mistake. At least, no mistakes they could see. However, Light ignored those, basking in his moment of self-realisation and glory. </p><p>“If I can use this notebook safely to kill criminals, I think deserve it… then the world will be a safer place.  It’ll be a justified place.” Was what he mused to himself, drilling all of the thoughts he had in the past into his present mindset. </p><p>“What else is there to do? Whether I wanted it to or not,” Light’s voice was a whisper, slowly escalating in volume by the word. “I started this, and I need to finish it.” Those few words finalised Light’s decision, concluding his existential questioning.</p><p>That night, Light dreamed of his ideal world, of the justice he would reform and of the revolution he would create. He dreamed of all the criminals he would put to justice, all the detectives and police officers who would shout his name when they asked for who was their inspiration. These dreams consisted of a world so idealistic and euphoric to Light, that he didn’t want to leave. One night of dreaming had confirmed his decision for good, changing his life forever.</p><p>When he woke up the next day, his eyes half open and his hair a mess, he smiled. For the first time in a very long time, he genuinely smiled. Whether that smile was tinted with naivety and cruelty or not didn’t matter, not to Light. </p><p>There was a hurricane coming in the universe’s direction, and Light was the one creating it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello everyone! I hope you all are having/had a wonderful day~</p><p>I wasn't so sure about this chapter, however, I like it, and I hope you do as well. I tried to keep the pacing similar to the anime/musical, I needed it to move along quickly because otherwise the pacing of the story would be shattered. It moves along quickly, and I understand this might look bad, however, that's the way it's going to be. Eh. &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Kira</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In the human world, everything was so much more alive, they weren’t living for death, they were living for life. If Shinigami were living the same way, then they wouldn’t be the ones killing humans, humans would be the one killing them. Whilst both species were still in existence, one of them was to be the dull and barren whilst the other was to be bright and entertaining. There was no place for two species to live for the dead or two species to live for life. Balance must be maintained. </p><p>The first difference between the two worlds he experienced, and perhaps the most prominent, were apples. Apples in the human world were juicy and crunchy, whereas apples in the Shinigami world were rotten and almost flavourless. Ryuk loved apples, red or green, cut up or whole, even the seeds! This human world was so deprived of boredom, even the inanimate was intriguing. Apples were perhaps one of the only things Ryuk cared for at that moment, the taste of a juicy fresh apple was far more satisfactory than anything else.</p><p>In the Shinigami world, the more superior one was, the more barren and the greyer one was. Rebels and troublemakers such as Ryuk were considered a waste of space and time, something to gossip about for a few minutes before moving on to yet another gamble and yet another period of time wasted. Yet, they were the most colourful in spirit, those punks and outcasts. It was them that dropped their notes into places they were not meant to be dropped, it was them that spent their time at the portal, watching with intent. It was them that were curious, who were selfish, who cared for their entertainment and selves far more than they were willing to admit. </p><p>Now that Ryuk had interacted with Light himself, Ryuk had to admit: Light was even more intriguing than he initially thought. Ryuk wasn’t affected by Light’s way of speaking to him in any way, seeing as he was a Shinigami, however, it was intriguing to see his ‘psychology’ as the humans would call it. Light’s mind was unlike the average mind, it had a different way of viewing things, it had a different opinion. Yagami Light was someone that Ryuk saw Shinigami qualities in, he was something else for sure. </p><p>However, Ryuk hadn’t yet seen Light’s human side, and once he did, his wonder about the young man would only increase. Humanity wasn’t easy to hide, and it would be interesting to see just how Light did it…</p><p>Light’s role in the human world was surprisingly similar to Ryuk’s in the Shinigami world. They were both bored and they both knew better than the world around them. Not necessarily intelligence on Ryuk’s end, but rather, a lack of naivety. If humans were oblivious, then Shinigami were uncaring. Despite their similarities, Ryuk didn’t care for him. That was where the differences of their species met along with the similarities of the unordinary. </p><p>Kira’s impact in the word – now that intrigued him. Everyone and the dead criminal nearest to them had chosen a side in the moral battle. Despite it not concerning them, they chose sides anyway. Despite it being none of their business, they involved themselves anyway.   </p><p>Against Kira – These people there becoming quieter and quieter by the day, drowned out by the screams of the Kira supporters. These people always had justice at the forefront of their mind, there was nothing else to it. Society claimed itself to be on this side, when talking with their friends, with their family, they always said the same thing. “Murder is wrong”, was what they would say, with a fiery passion they wouldn’t realise they were faking until the moment they logged onto their computers. Very few people actually swayed towards this side, and those who did openly expressed their distaste for Kira with a motivation that those who lied simply didn’t have. </p><p>Kira’s supporters – these people were very vocal on all places where their identity couldn’t be revealed. They worshipped his ideals for they saw the wrongs and imperfections in the world and thought that Kira could remedy it. The supporters showed the humanity of the situation, it exemplified the naïve and foolish nature of humans. The tears they shed and smiles they shared, all of it. Humans allowed emotions to make them incompetent, they were foolish and naïve. These people were able to fake a smile so easily, it almost seemed incomprehensible to Ryuk.  </p><p>“What are you planning on doing, Light-o?” A grin spread across Ryuk’s face as he watched the teenager. Light didn’t even turn to glance back at Ryuk, continuing to write in his death note with a steady hand. </p><p>“I’m testing the limits of the Death Note, what the user can and can’t control. Do you know anything on this Ryuk?” Light’s voice was always and calm and soft whenever he talked to him, whether that was from paranoia or just his usual voice, Ryuk didn’t know. He chuckled loudly, reaching for the apple basket to check whether there was more in there. It was empty.  </p><p>“You’ll just have to try it for yourself. Not telling you anything!” It was more interesting that way, not letting Light know what he was in for. If he was to assist him with everything, it would only provide short time thrills, and that wasn’t enough for the entertainment starved Ryuk. He needed longevity whilst he was in the human world, he needed to stay long enough for the Shinigami king to not notice that he had disappeared with the note. If everything went to plan, the king would forget about him and wouldn’t interfere with his fun. </p><p>It piqued Ryuk’s interest to see Light so enamoured with the death note, asking questions about it and experimenting with it. Ryuk never thought to do such things with it before, he hadn’t ever thought that this could be interesting to someone else.  The death note seemed so normal to him that he had forgotten just how interesting it could be to someone who didn’t know that this concept could even exist. </p><p>“Light-o!” Ryuk flipped around and did handstands throughout Light’s room, stomach contorting into itself and arms flailing wildly. His eyes were wider than usual and his head was lolled back. Light finished the last name and watched Ryuk unimpressed, already knowing what he wanted. </p><p>“We have no apples left Ryuk, and I’m not getting any more for you.” He then turned around and packed up his things routinely, leaving a very disappointed Ryuk still rolling in circles on the ceiling. Ryuk was facing symptoms of withdrawal, seeing as he had quickly gotten addicted to the juicy apples of the human world. </p><p>“Goodnight Ryuk.” Ryuk hummed in response as Light fell asleep, his eyes closed and gentle as he imagined his new world, his revolution. Who knew that a teenager with such a tender sleeping face could be dreaming of such vicious and seemingly unrealistic ideals? Who knew that a young man with such gentle eyes could be planning a revolutionary destruction and unseen before conflict?</p><p>When the sky was this colour, humans called it night, however, Ryuk thought it looked more like a kids version of the Shinigami world. The glowing white dots, they were called stars? The circle, that was the moon? Even when it was meant to be dark, there was still small shapes of light provided in order to help humans see. Were they that hopeless without light in their lives? Ryuk would have to ask Light in the morning, he supposed. </p><p>It looked beautiful though, just like almost everything in the human world did. Most concepts in the human world were for visuals only and nothing more, it truly went to show just how shallow they were. How they only thought of themselves and their own satisfaction. Perhaps Shinigami were the same, Ryuk didn’t want to know nor did he want to think about it. </p><p>Would Light cause destruction? There was no doubt about it, of course he would. What happened to humans who lost the death note other than bad luck in their lives? Ryuk didn’t know, however, he was about to find out. The excitement and anticipation that came with being in the human world, it was something Ryuk hadn’t ever experienced within his centuries of living. </p><p>There was one thing he did know, even though he wasn’t of the human species. Life was a cycle, nothing ever really changed. Light might’ve thought otherwise, however, Ryuk knew better, and it made him internally cackle. </p><p>“Light-o… you didn’t change anything; you only changed your name. Kira.” A cackle filled the walls, unbeknownst to both those he interacted with and those he didn’t. </p><p>His name was now Kira, and he would cause terror throughout. His name was now Kira, and he would revolutionize the meaning of justice and the meaning of terror. </p><p>One day, Yagami Light would disappear into thin air, and only Kira would remain. But how soon was this to happen?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It's almost been two weeks, I'm so sorry! I kept procrastinating and I had zero inspiration! Please comment to tell me what you think!</p><p>By the way, I have Twitter now! My handle is: infinitefalltohell</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. I'm Ready</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Misa-Misa, you’re on in 10!” One of the backstage workers called, seemingly in a rush. Misa didn’t respond, sitting perfectly still as her make-up artists finished their touch-ups. Afterwards, with 8 minutes to go – she focused onto her reflection and grinned as if there was nothing else to care about. She looked stunning, absolutely stunning. She felt as if the current burdens she carried had disappeared with simple excitement. Her presence was the brightest thing in the room despite the many lights and mirrors.   </p><p>Her own song was stuck in her head, the lyrics flowing with an ease which could only come with one’s connection that went far deeper than listener and product. The dark from underneath her eyes had faded, both with the assistance of make-up and her own determination. Misa could now genuinely smile, something she hadn’t been able to do for a long time. It reached her eyes, it even glowed through the blue contacts she currently wore. </p><p>Justice had been served – he was gone now. Her parents had been avenged; they didn’t die for injustice. She wasn’t drowned in grief no longer, now she merely dipped into it every so often. Kira’s new world was a breath of fresh air – a gentle relief. The previous dangers to the world were something she didn’t need to worry about. Kira would kill them all, Kira had to. She was now ready to be a part of this new world, and she was ready to contribute to it. She was determined to find him, to love him, to show her gratitude face to face. </p><p>“1 minute, Misa-Misa!” With one last look at her own reflection, she stood from her chair and left the room. She arrived the backstage and the staff rushed her to position, they were all working very hard to maintain order and perfection amidst the pre-concert hype. </p><p>“She’s ready!” And that she was, she was ready for anything that came in her direction.</p><p>Misa smiled widely once the screams and cheers of her supporters fell to her ears, motivation and energy coursing through her. She walked through the narrow corridor leading to the stage, waving and grinning even from halfway – knowing that some could see her from a certain angle. The cheers only grew louder as she entered the stage, eventually dying down once she reached for the sparkly microphone. </p><p>“Hello everyone, Misa-Misa here! It is so good to see you all again!” As she scanned the audience, names and lifespans quickly entered her vision, hundreds of numbers circulated around her eyes. The stage turned dark, cheers loudening by the second before dying down again. </p><p>“Well, they say I'm too young<br/>
And they call me a fool<br/>
Who can't possibly know my own heart.” Misa opened her eyes after the very last word. She scanned through the crowd, the light coming from the names of her audience being her only source of aid. Their faces were ones of awe, of anticipation. Many of the people here adored her, they sent her their love and support through mere expressions alone. </p><p>“So, they tell me to wait<br/>
'til I'm finished with school<br/>
But, right now is when love wants to start” Her voice boomed across the stage, sending chills down the spines of her audience. The suspense was there, building up in the form of powerful vocals and instrumentals. The song was altered in this live version, made to sound more eerie in the introduction than it actually was. It was made to increase the anticipation and longing, a perfect move, for both her personal purposes and for the audience.  </p><p>“And the world may be cold<br/>
And the world may be cruel<br/>
But this world is all that I've got…” Her eyes gravitated towards a particular name, a particular face. Yagami Light, his name was. No life span could be seen under those red characters, so delicately and elegantly jumbled. His face was indifferent as he watched the concert, his little sister leaning against his shoulder by his side. However, Misa knew that she could sway him with the right gifts. At least, she thought she could. </p><p>A small grin formed on Misa’s face. She had found him, her saviour, her hero, her god. Kira. He may not have known that it was she who knew his secret, that it was she who found him so easily. However, she knew that her new god would know soon enough.</p><p>“So, what I'm dreaming of<br/>
Is somebody to love<br/>
Hope you're ready, 'cause I'm ready<br/>
Ready or not.” The lights turned back on and the music suddenly turned upbeat, causing Misa to jump up from her hunched stance and walk around the stage brightly. Her interactions with the audience being friendly and full of life. Despite that, she was more focused on Kira, and Kira only.  </p><p>“Because life is too short<br/>
And the road is too long<br/>
To believe you can walk it alone” She aimed her words towards the young man, who seemed to take notice. Misa smiled charmingly, seduction shining between her lips. Her red eyes glowed from underneath the contacts, invisible to the lovestruck people who watched her every move. Those irises glowed brighter in the presence of Kira, a gleeful giggle stuck in the back of her throat. </p><p>He was her god, and he was stunning. He was elegant and of poise, just by looks alone Misa could tell he was of considerable charm. They were perfect for each other.</p><p>“But together we might<br/>
Find a place to belong<br/>
Where together we'll face the unknown” The rest of the song continued in a very similar nature, her bright energy subtly singed by the man who sat in the front row. His sister was napping on his shoulder, she looked no older than 12 or 14. Kira turned away from her and tended to his little sister, adjusting himself in order to make her comfortable. </p><p>As the audience screamed her name and chanted the same two syllables on repeat, she drowned in the energy and the hype. </p><p>“Misa! Misa! Misa!” Was cheered over and over again, causing Misa to jump around the stage and hype her audience up even more. </p><p>She performed the rest of the songs under the gaze of her hyped audience, frequently giving Kira quick looks as if to check in on him. Kira had a hand on his sister, no, Sayu’s shoulder. He watched the concert with a bored glance, one that Misa couldn’t see from the stage. </p><p>At intermission, she sprinted to her water bottle, kneeling on the cold floor as she drank from it desperately. The name ‘Kira’ was bouncing in her mind, blocking her outside surroundings. He was here, her god, her saviour was here. </p><p>She had to meet him. 8 minutes left to meet him; she didn’t have much time. </p><p>Most of the audience didn’t notice as the lights suddenly went dark, allowing Misa to navigate her way through the front row to where he was seated. </p><p>“Please come with me.” Was what she said, with a delicate smile on her face. Kira took her hand and walked with her, taking one last look at his sleeping sister before leaving backstage. Her glee vibrated throughout as she took the man to the dressing room, sitting him down gently in the seat which she had previously sat in.</p><p>“Misa-Misa?” His voice was delicate, not at all scared, more so curious. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, but may I ask why you brought me here?” Misa sent an angelic smile his way, turning to the mirror to take out her contacts.</p><p>Her eyes glowed brighter, no longer hidden by the contacts. Their cynical colour almost jumped in front of Kira’s eyes, so unexpected and surprising. </p><p>“Kira-sama, it is an honour to be in your presence.” She almost giggled as Kira’s eyes widened before relaxing again, she loved getting a reaction out of the seemingly composed and calm man. It told her that her god cared for her and treasured her, despite not knowing anything about her. It was something out of the songs she wrote, something from the fantasies she created.  </p><p>“You have the Shinigami eyes.” Was what he replied with, his words careful and calculated from the way they were spoken to the way they were ordered. Misa nodded excitedly, glad that he somewhat noticed her.</p><p>“Yes, I do. I’d like to contribute your new world, Kira, can I do anything for you with these eyes? I worship you so much, and I love your ideals more than anything. Please let me help you!” 3 minutes to go, 3 minutes until it was all over. Misa was playing on borrowed time, she needed to get to her point before it was over. </p><p>Kira was in thought, it seemed, in consideration of what she was asking of him. A minute later, he came to a conclusion and nodded, a small smile (smirk) across his pretty, pretty face.</p><p>“Perhaps we could meet sometime and discuss this further. In a few months, perhaps? I have school after all, so I’m very busy. Give me your number, we can call.” Misa squealed, reaching for his phone to write the number into. Kira entered his password and entered the contacts app, allowing her to write his number in.</p><p>“Thank you so much Kira-sama, will you call me?” Kira nodded, a tender look in his eyes. </p><p>“Of course.” He embraced her and she buried herself in his arms, happily snuggling into him. She was in Kira’s arms, and everything was paradise.</p><p>“1 minute, Misa-Misa!” Her manager called, her voice booming across the backstage area. Misa sighed and let go, a soft smile prevalent on her face.</p><p>“I have to take care of my sister.”</p><p>“I have to put my contacts on.” They both chuckled, the corners of Misa’s eyes crinkling as her smile grew wider.</p><p>“You’ll call?” He nodded, waving as he walked away. </p><p>“Take care, Misa-Misa.” Misa silently squealed once he had left, joy written in the stars for her fate. It was something out of a fairy tale or a fantasy. She too walked out the room, back to the stage in which he would be watching her. The stage in which the audience would be screaming her name.</p><p>Whilst she performed her other songs, she didn’t hear “Misa” no longer, no, Misa was long gone. She only heard “Kira”, her new name from that moment on. She would be the second Kira, the second person who would bring justice to the world.  </p><p>Together, they would dominate the world.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Major change to the plot time~</p><p>Okay, so I'll explain why I changed when Light and Misa meet and why Misa gets the eyes. Because in Chapter 3, Ryuk and Rem leave at around the same time, Misa getting Gelus' note and Light getting the spare note. Misa gets the eyes after hearing about Kira and the legendary things he does, however, she hasn't killed yet. I wanted them to meet at the concert then to re-arrange a meeting for a few months later. A few months later will be Mortals and Fools, and I won't spoil what will happen then. </p><p>I wanted to add a little of my own flair, lets hope I don't regret this~!</p><p>Are you ready? Because I'm ready!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. We All Need A Hero</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sayu woke up from her conflicted slumber to bright lights, loud noise and her brother’s hand on her shoulder. She groaned softly, blinking rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the brightness of the place. Light tilted her head towards him gently, guiding her to a standing position. </p><p>“The concert’s over, we have to go now Sayu. We’re walking home, alright?” Sayu nodded sleepily, bringing a hand to rub at her eyes as she stood up from the seat. Light’s hand moved to her upper back, guiding her out of the room and making sure she didn’t end up lost. The people around them bustled about, their energy skyrocketing through the roof as they noisily yelled to one another and jumped about. </p><p>Sayu sighed softly as the cold wind outside whipped her face, waking her up and guiding her back to reality. She leaned into her brother as they walked onto the footpath, trees highlighted by darkness and the road filled with cars. Eventually, the tall buildings disappeared and all that could be seen was the desaturated nature, along with the grassy hills of the local park. </p><p>“Big brother, can we sit here for a bit?” She pointed to the park bench nearby, her arm crooked and her eyes still tired. He nodded, smiling slightly as he took his hand away and headed towards the bench. Sayu slumped next to him, blinking slowly. </p><p>“Sayu, you must be very tired. You’ve been wanting to go to this concert for ages and you suddenly fall asleep near the start. Was it that boring~?” Her brother’s last words were teasing and playful, causing her to giggle quietly. She shook her head.</p><p>“I just didn’t realise how stressed I was from exams, I guess. I’ve been pulling a lot of all-nighters. Maybe I just needed some rest?” Sayu tilted her head, turning away from her older brother and facing the stars instead. Light sighed in a concerned manner, eyes locking with Sayu’s distant ones.</p><p>“Don’t stress yourself too much Sayu, you’re not even in high school yet. It’s important to get good grades, but it’s also important to take care of yourself.” Sayu scoffed, a soft chuckle eliciting afterwards. </p><p>“Big brother, you can’t talk! You’re super smart and you don’t need to study, not of all us can do that you know~” She smiled; however, she knew that someone as smart and as close to her as her older brother could see through her. </p><p>“I study all the time Sayu, if I didn’t, I’d probably fail.” Sayu knew that to be a lie, her brother wouldn’t fail, her brother was perfect. She nodded nonetheless, taking his words to heart. </p><p>For a while, all was silent and peaceful, the cold wind blew and the stars rose higher. Sayu breathed softly, contemplating her earlier dreams. Kira could be killing someone right now, Kira could be devastating yet another family, Kira could be causing damage. There was no way she could possibly be content when thoughts like this sprinted through her mind. </p><p>“Light, do you think Kira is justice?” She didn’t face him as she asked the question, her words ending with a cloud of mist from the cold. It was most likely a good thing that she didn’t see the taken aback look on his face, that she didn’t see his surprise with being asked such a thing from a 14-year-old junior high schooler.</p><p>“I don’t focus much on it since I’m so busy with school and everything. I haven’t even had time to watch the news, let alone to form an opinion. I’ve only heard his name thrown around by classmates and teachers. How about you? What do you think?” At the last sentence, all of Sayu’s opinions and thoughts swirled in her head, the conversation with her father and the fear society seemed to be in. She didn’t process the fact that he was lying, she couldn’t tell. Her faith in her brother was far, far stronger than her perceptive abilities.  </p><p>“I hate Kira. What he’s doing is unjust and evil!” The passion in her voice was strong, it was clear that this topic was something she had a lot of feelings about. She relaxed ever so slightly as her brother placed a hand on her back, grounding her and forcing her to rationally give her opinion. </p><p>“Why is that?” Sayu faced Light and looked in his eyes, not even the darkness could blur the bright brown colour that seemed so similar to her own. So good and pure, everything Kira couldn’t be and would never be.</p><p>“Because everyone deserves the right to life. Because everyone fears him, and we shouldn’t have to live in a fearful society. Everyone sounds so admirable when they post things online, but there’s a reason no one speaks about it in public. Because it’s immoral and there’s other expectations on us that take the trophy for priority. It's a guilty pleasure, supporting Kira, that's all it is. Doesn’t it sound scary to live in a world where you fear being killed for littlest of mistakes that were made long ago? That’s the world we live in now.” Her voice was delicate, quiet, almost afraid. Her eyes were wide, almost pleading, as if they were begging her big brother to agree, to make everything better.</p><p>“When you put it that way, it does sound scary.” He was lying, he was utterly lying, however, Sayu was blinded by her devotion and her loyalty to him. </p><p>“It is, isn’t it? Kira disgusts me, he has no optimism or hope for society. He has no alternate solution. He hasn’t fixed any problem… he’s simply hidden it away with dramatic actions. Death is never the answer, it should never be the answer.” She was preaching the words that society spoke amongst those closest to them. Sayu wasn’t attempting to be righteous, she was attempting to strictly follow the rulebook of morality in order to attempt an expression of justification. </p><p>In those moments, she sounded like her father, in the way she spoke and in the opinions she expressed. Her eyes were filled with passion, from the black void which shaped itself according to the light to the myriad of colours in her pupils. Her naivety was also one that came with lack of exposure to the world, or at least, according to Light. </p><p>“That’s interesting, you sound a lot like Dad when you talk that way.” Sayu nodded, almost proudly as she went onto say her next statement. </p><p>“I share a lot of Dad’s views. We actually had a discussion about this yesterday, we share the same opinions but had different ways of putting it. It was nice.” She sounded so proud of herself, so at peace. </p><p>The two then proceeded to sit in silence for another few minutes, facing away from another to contemplate the conversation that was just had, the different sides thinking of completely different things. Light was saddened – saddened that she would think this way, that she was ‘naïve’ enough to see Kira the way society was forced to see him. </p><p>Sayu was content – someone was listening to her; someone was finally taking her opinion into consideration. As of late, she had lost many friends with her strong views against Kira. They told her to drop her façade, only to find out she had no façade, all of her opinions were as true as the sky that hung itself above them.</p><p>“Why else don’t you like Kira? Any more reasons?” Light seemed to be decoding her, to be picking apart every single reason. However, Sayu didn’t mind. He didn’t need to say much, she knew he cared, she knew he agreed. </p><p>“He’s taking away our human attributes.” Light whipped his head towards her, seeming to be both intrigued and a little frightened. Perhaps because his sister was far more perceptive of human society than he would've imagined her to be?</p><p>“As people, we make mistakes sometimes, and we should be allowed to grow from them in order to become better people. But Kira doesn’t allow that, he kills at every wrong action. Any mistake could get you killed, and you would die a morally bad person because of one mistake you didn’t get the chance to move on from.” The wisdom that spilled from her lips and that was voiced through the mouth of the young would shock anyone else, anyone else but Light. When Sayu spoke, Light could hear his father, when Sayu spoke, Light only heard the public speaking. </p><p>“This man sounds repulsive.” Sayu was satisfied with that conclusion, her head drooping backwards to face the stars. </p><p>“Mm, I think we need more people like you big brother, people who can see from right to wrong.” That silently put an end to the conversation, the siblings both facing away from each other to muse once more. </p><p>The night was now silent with how late it had fallen, yet Sayu’s head was bustling with more opinions and thoughts. If Light was her pillar of justice, and if Light agreed with her, then she was surely right… yes? It wasn’t a matter of insecurity, but rather, it was evidence and confirmation. </p><p>Sayu knew that someone like Light would save them, that someone as hero-like as her brother would rid them of this tyranny.</p><p>But little did she know…</p><p>That someone like Light would also destroy them.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello mates~ I was so excited to write this chapter, and it turned out great! At least, I think it did. </p><p>Now, onto my comments for this chapter: Light may seem like an empathetic person, however, he's lying and keeping it as neutral as possible because he knows that Sayu doesn't want a discussion, she wants to rant. And he knows that.</p><p>Sayu's point of view is very similar to her Dad's, because I would imagine where she lacks in academics, she makes up for with her perception and observance of the people around her. And she's very outspoken about her opinion, the backlash she gets from others showing just how people really feel and how society is really working. </p><p>I love Sayu so much istg.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Game Begins</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>L allowed the sugar cube to dissolve in his mouth as he readjusted his position on the hard chair. In front of him, was a laptop that showed Sakura TV. For now, they only played the immediate news, L’s plans hadn’t unfolded yet. Lind L Tailor was to appear on the screen in approximately 10 minutes and 58 seconds, he was to taunt Kira, to perhaps exploit some of his flaws. </p><p>This plan was to get some insight as to where Kira was, where his target area was. Most of the murders were in Japan, therefore it was likely he was Japanese, however, he had to verify it. This murderer could easily be hiring others to kill for him, or he could be travelling to places privately from people he knows, not leaving any trace of where he could possibly be. </p><p>The press conference wasn’t going to take theories seriously, they needed hard facts, and even then, they were most likely sceptical. After all, L had never revealed his face or name to a lot of the people who he talked to over the internet or worked with closely. He was overly cautious in that way, causing few to trust him. Well, no one could mistrust another more than L possibly could, he was far too paranoid, far too cautious.  </p><p>10 minutes and 58 seconds had soon passed, and Lind L Tailor appeared on the screen after a brief commercial break. On the screen, the man looked arrogant and well aware, he looked alert, as if ‘his’ plan would work perfectly. L could tell that the man wasn’t thinking of the fact that he would either die from Kira’s hand or die from execution the next day, and his ability to play a role he didn’t know how to perform was impressive.</p><p>“I am L, the detective that will be working on the Kira case! What Kira is doing is unjust and wrong! It is repulsive! It is something that should not be in our world in this day and age! Once I get to you Kira, and it will be soon… you will be dead, so dead.” Venom poured from his lips, his arrogance consuming the performance and blowing those who watched him away. L had no doubt that Kira was angry, however, not quite angry enough to burst yet. Kira was smart enough and surely rational enough to not react immediately, correct?</p><p>“Kira, I am addressing you directly when I say this. You’re arrogant, you’re childish, you hate losing, you can’t deny any of these statements. What are you going to do, kill me?? Either way, you’re a terrible person with beyond awful ideals, and you deserve to die! You’re not going to create a new world or a revolution, all you’ll create is fear and terror. You’re tyranny, you’re the definition of unjust, everyone hates you, they’re terrified of you!” His performance was impressive, in fact, so perfect and believable that he got himself killed.</p><p>L was not surprised as he emotionlessly watched the criminal on the screen clutch at his neck and collapse onto the table. He was going to die either way, whether it may be Kira or via execution, therefore it didn’t matter anyway. However, now it was his time to shine, to be able to communicate with Kira one on one. The microphone was set up, as was the voice scrambler, now all he had to do was click.</p><p>“Kira… you did well, however, I did better.” His voice was almost a whisper as he spoke into the microphone, no emotion could be detected. No one would know of the thrill he internally felt from within, no one would know of the anticipation he saw in this case. </p><p>Confronting the killer was always the most dangerous part of the case, because it could change everything. One could get themselves murdered, or the murderers could change their plans, making the case more difficult. However, it provided a rush that L could never find anywhere else. There was a thrill to it, an appeal to such dangers.</p><p>“You killed Lind L Tailor 3 minutes ago exactly, thinking that he was L. However, he is not L. He is a criminal who was meant to be executed tomorrow. So, congratulations, you just killed someone who was already going to die anyway by death penalty. Doesn’t that line up to your idea of justice… Kira?” He was taunting him and teasing him at that point, that, L knew. However, this game was simply too fun to not play, and he felt obligated to keep playing until he defeated the villain and won. </p><p>“What are you going to do, kill me? Try to, I dare you. Wield whatever special powers you possess and murder me, go on.” His teasing words most likely infuriated Kira, causing him to keep probing and keep prodding at Kira’s weak spots. Even perfect plans had perfect flaws, that, L knew. It had been proved time and time again, often, detectives only investigated the clues and facts in front of them, they didn’t take action to confront the criminal or exploit the flaws of the case.</p><p>He waited a few seconds, then spoke once more, in his monotone whisper, which held no implications of his emotions whatsoever. </p><p>“It didn’t work, very interesting. Now, let me say one last thing before I leave.” He could almost feel Kira’s frustration from the other side of the TV, fuelling him and motivating him to keep on going. He was having fun with this, he didn’t even begin to think on the fucked ethics behind his actions, however, then again, he didn’t have many ethics to begin with.</p><p>“This Sakura TV broadcast wasn’t done so nationally, only in the Kanto region. Now, we have tracked you down to the Kanto region in Japan, luckily for you, Kanto is the most populated region in Japan, therefore it’ll be harder to track you down than if you were somewhere else.” He resisted the urge to laugh, he was already overly involved emotionally in this case, he shouldn’t go much farther than he already did. At least… he shouldn’t have.</p><p>“Until next time… Kira.” The microphone turned off and the L screen disappeared, the room going dark once more. A ghost of a smirk could be seen in L’s eyes, the physicality invisible but the resemblance still shining above all.</p><p>For the first time since the Beyond Birthday case, he felt a thrill unlike any other case before. This case wasn’t any normal murder, no, this was a supernatural case, L was sure of it. He had never confronted anything like it. This method of killing surely didn’t exist in the human world, however, was the supernatural real? L couldn’t know, which made this case so intriguing.</p><p>The computer turned on; L typed a myriad of passwords into it. The screen came to life, showing all the evidence he had on a document, the document was only temporary of course, it was to be purged later. He was typing rapidly onto a laptop, the old laptops of those days which simply couldn’t catch up with his speed. </p><p>The following words were the documentation of evidence and claims L had thus far, usually, he would commit these to memory. However, with a case as risky and dangerous as the Kira case, he couldn’t avoid the act of writing things down. Every detail had to be checked and double checked.</p><p>-	Murderer Name: Kira<br/>
-	Location: Kanto Region, Japan. This is proved on a television broadcast (Sakura TV) on the 7th of September at 11am (approximately) that was showed in only the Kanto region of Japan. Lind L Tailor, a criminal going through the death penalty the next day appeared on the show, claiming to be the real L. After a total show time of 3 minutes and 49 seconds, he was killed by what is predicted to be a heart attack. No evidence has been yet shown to prove that the cause of death is a heart attack.<br/>
-	Method of killing: Unknown.<br/>
-	Kills: Kira uses heart attacks in order to murder criminals, he needs a name and face in order to kill them. This is proven by the pattern of the kills, as of far, any criminals who haven’t been showed on the news or haven’t been documented in the NPA’s filing system have not been killed. This leads the presumption of Kira has some access into the NPA system, however, there is no evidence to prove this as of yet.<br/>
-	Aim: Kira mostly targets criminals, for the most part he has targeted murderers and large-scale robbers, along with sexual harassers and generally the higher tier of criminals. However, some kills contradict this. </p><p>With all the evidence documented down, L glanced through it once more to finalize the details. Once that was settled, the document was deleted, and all trace of it had vanished.</p><p>With the method of killing unknown, along with who they were looking for within the Kanto region, this case certainly was intriguing. </p><p>However, with this case came bad news. Its intriguing nature and mystery caused L to personally attach himself to the case prematurely whether he realised it or not. The one thing he vowed and promised to never do, would that be broken by something he dealt with on a daily basis? What made this case different from the others other than its deviating and tricking evidence thus far? Was it premonition?</p><p>Either way, the games had begun, and L told himself that he would win, whether that meant he came out alive or not.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>G'day! Sorry the chapter's come out so late, well, a 1.5k chapter 4 days from the last upload isn't late, but I usually do them daily, so I apologise for the delay! I was too busy studying Japanese ahahaha.</p><p>My comments on this chapter: I didn't want to include too much of L's character, I wanted his basic personality before he met Kira in person to be in this, however, I also wanted to stick very strictly to the song's lyrics about analysing, about data, about Lind L Tailor, etc. </p><p>This fic isn't meant to be comedy I swear-</p><p>I'm really looking for next chapter, because we finally get Soichiro's view point and where he stands with the Kira case! I am actually very excited for it and I can't wait to show you all what I have in store for him.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. There Are Lines</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Soichiro sat in the small yellow taxi, glancing out of the window to the littered trees and buildings outside. The window was open and the air that came inside was chilling, an awakening for Soichiro’s tired state. Despite it only being 5:30 in the evening, Soichiro couldn’t help but allow the lag of exhaustion to claim him. The sweet, melodic voice of Misa-Misa played on the radio, one of her few ballads coursing throughout the car. It had been in the top 10 as of late, seeing as it stuck out significantly compared to her usual music.</p><p>He would be going home to meet with his family, and to eat dinner with them. Sachiko was most likely cooking a delicious dinner, the smells of fish and rice wafting throughout the entire house. Sayu was almost definitely sat by the TV, her face in close proximity with the screen whilst she watched her current favourite actor, Hideki Ryuga. Light was certainly studying to maintain his exceptionally high grades, he always was, Soichiro had zero doubts in concerns to that. His family was consistent, and as they grew older, they would more than likely form a new regular. Life was to be ideal for them, Soichiro was relieved to note that. Light and Sayu would both excel at whatever they desired, Light with his academic prowess and strong survival instincts along with Sayu who had her sheer ambition and strong sense of justice that was so akin to his own. </p><p>5 minutes later, the sky a shade darker, the sun had gone down by miniscule lengths, Soichiro arrived home. He paid his fee and thanked the taxi driver, waving him off with a respectful bow. With a sense of home and familiarity entering his body with the more steps he walked, he entered the house. Immediately, the scent of fish hit his nostrils – fresh salmon. Along with western style potatoes, the smell was simply delightful. The house was warm and loving, as per usual. As he took off his coat, he heard footsteps bounding towards him, presumably Sayu’s. Nostalgia coursed through him, however, it went unnoticed as he turned his attention to his youngest child. </p><p>“Dad!” She exclaimed, waiting until he was finished to wrap her arms around him. Soichiro smiled and hugged her back, quickly kissing her on the head before letting go. The two set off into the kitchen, familiarity creeping in and settling itself.</p><p>“How has school been?” Sayu laughed, wincing slightly as she did so.</p><p>“Not better than the last time you asked. You should ask Light though, he’s doing great! Did you hear the news?” At that, more footsteps were audible, they pounded down the stairs quietly with a rhythmic ease. Light wore a soft grin on his features, those features only brightening as he caught eye of his father.</p><p>“You’ve finally stopped watching Hideki Ryuga, Sayu? How did you manage?” Sayu rolled her eyes playfully, shaking her head as she did so. Soichiro watched them interact fondly, the three taking themselves to the kitchen quickly.</p><p>“I can survive if I have food, older brother! I should ask the same thing about your studying, what’s so appealing about your textbooks, hmm?” The two siblings, so alike one another, bickered on their way to the kitchen, their playful sparring ending as Sachiko set the food down on the table. Soichiro kissed her cheek as he sat down, Sachiko smiling back lovingly at the notion.</p><p>“Hello dear, how was work?” He sighed at the mere thought of it, loosening his tie in order to relax slightly. </p><p>“Tiresome. Kira is still running rampant and he’s as fiery as ever. It’s a lot more work than I have anticipated, if I’m being honest.” Sayu was the first to extend her hand to her father’s, laying hers onto his.</p><p>“Dad, I know it’s tiring and there’s less time to spend with family, but it’s worth it in the end! Because the civilians will be safer, right?” There was a naïve hope shining in her eyes, an indication that she already knew what her answer would be.</p><p>“We’ve spoken about this before Sayu, haven’t we?” his voice was soft, it always was around his dearest family. Light reached for more salmon, beginning to speak as he split it with his chopsticks. </p><p>“Dad, what conversation did you have with Sayu?” Soichiro’s head turned away from his daughter to his son, eyes softening. Sachiko made a soft humming noise, saying that she was curious as to this conversation as well.</p><p>“We spoke about Kira, and our opinions on how he’s affecting both crime rate and society. We share many opinions and beliefs, don’t we Sayu?” She nodded, a proud smile on her face as she did so, one of determination. </p><p>“Yeah! It was a good conversation! I was up far past my bedtime though…” She ended the statement with a nervous chuckle, choosing not to look into her mother’s dissatisfied eyes. Soichiro shook his head, tilting it slightly whilst addressing Light.</p><p>“What do you think of Kira, Light? About his impact on society?” Light took a deep breath, his face neutral. He was definitely in thought, in contemplation, perhaps not of what he had to say, but rather, how to express it. </p><p>“Kira is definitely… very influential. He has swayed many with the unique and the unknown, it tricks them into believing the unbelievable and into thinking the impossible into plausible. Kira is not justice! I’m sure he’s intelligent to know that. He has a god complex and he’s an egoistic, he’s sick and pathetic. Does he know that he won’t solve anything? No. Why? Because he can’t think beyond himself.” Soichiro and Sayu both looked impressed, whilst Sachiko had her eyebrows raised, in wonder that such topics would even be discussed at the dinner table.</p><p>“I’m impressed with your observation and deduction abilities. You always know what’s wrong and right. What’s honest and what isn’t. It honestly impresses me that you don’t fall for the high schooler tricks of ‘Kira is cute!!’ or ‘Serial killers are hot!’ because they really aren’t. There are lines that can’t be crossed, but criminals don’t tend to understand the morality behind such things. They’re selfish in that way, egotistic. Their ego is bigger than their kill number or their criminal record.” His words were firm, as were his beliefs, set in stone for what seemed to be forevermore. Light looked at him with a sense of admiration, which allowed a smile to make its way onto Soichiro’s face.</p><p>Light truly did fit his namesake, he was a beacon of light to all who saw him. When Ryuzaki suspected him, Soichiro didn’t understand his logic behind it, how could his son, his dearly innocent son murder so many people? To Soichiro, Light was such a good person, he was perfect, even a role model. Perfect grades, charming manner, a gentlemen, someone who excelled in everything. How anyone could suspect him was beyond his comprehension. Did Ryuzaki see something that he could not? </p><p>There were no doubts in his mind, it was not Kira he saw behind Light’s eyes.</p><p>Light was repulsed, though he hid it easily under the guise of food and pretend smiles. That entire dinner, they chatted idly, and he had to pretend that he shared their morals the entire time. He had never realised how wrong his father was until that moment, how brainwashed and naïve he seemed to be. He had to resist the urge to gag every time his father or sister spoke, their opinions draping him with wrath.  </p><p>Soichiro’s idea of justice was incorrect in Light’s mind, not because serial killers are hot, but because he wasn’t a serial killer. He was a god who was making a verdict on the people around him, deciding whether or not they had the privilege to hold onto their life or not. He was justice, he was what many described as their saviour. Serial killers were people who brutalized and slayed the innocent, they were people the world needed protection from. Kira’s motivation was to save the citizens from those people, and many knew of that. However, his father stuck closely to his policeman values and Light wouldn’t expect any less of him. </p><p>As Soichiro finished clearing his place at the table, he took the time to notice his son, who was currently offering to help his mother with the dishes. He was such a sweet boy, a courteous boy. One that followed his morals and values as if they were the rulebook to life. Surely, Ryuzaki was wrong. He had to be, there was no way it could be anything else.</p><p>Despite the house being warm, and his sheets cocooning him, he still shuddered from the chill that ran down his spine. Light followed his teachings to a point, he was yet another embodiment of justice, Ryuzaki had to be wrong. That had to be it. </p><p>Both were repulsed by the idea of Kira, surely?</p><p>Both followed the lines so carefully drawn out for them in society, surely?</p><p>If Light was Kira, that would mean that he himself had failed as a parent, as a person, a figure. If that ever came, which it wouldn’t, but if it did, Soichiro didn’t think he’d be able to heal from the trauma. </p><p>He couldn’t see it, whether that was because he was blinded or because it wasn’t there, he didn’t know. </p><p>There was no visible Kira behind Light’s eyes.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi everyone! I know it's been a few days since I've last updated but here it is, exciting, isn't it?</p><p>Author's comments: I've been waiting to do this one for a while! It turned out smaller and less impactful than I would've liked, however, the writing behind it was nice in my opinion. There are a few references to Honor Bound here because that song fucking kicks me in the feelings and I like it a lot. I wanted to remind you of Chapter 7 with this one, except it's a lot more thought and less talking, basically the reverse!</p><p>[Editing infinite over here: This chapter is one of the best I think, I'm looking forward to exploring the family dynamic more if I'm being honest. I just hope I can write it a bit more in this story, because I really like it!]</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Secrets & Lies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Light sifted through the papers easily, reviewing the questions so he had an idea of what was required. The exam had already started; however, Light knew he had time. His concentration wavered with each familiar page he saw, only focusing once a new category popped up, only to be pushed aside within a matter of seconds. </p><p>The supervisor scolded the student four rows behind him loudly, telling him to sit in his seat properly. Light’s head snapped around to face him, and instead of turning away, he froze.</p><p>This student’s sitting position was in a squat, one that seemed familiar to the Asian squat. His feet were bare, and unlike the many suits in this room, this man bore a white shirt and jeans. The unknown person’s hair was wildly sticking in different directions, it looked greasy and unwashed. Pale skin stood out amongst all the black in the room, it was almost the same colour as his shirt. And his eyes, oh his eyes, Light struggled to tear himself away when he saw them. They were grey, a cold grey. They matched the sky that hung over his head the very same day he received his death note. </p><p>He had an air of mystery and intrigue around him for reasons that Light himself didn’t know. His own cheeks were currently tinged pink, unbeknownst to himself. The way that grey eyes lingered onto his back so analytically, so coldly, it gave Light slight chills, despite not knowing what was to come. </p><p>Mere seconds later, Light tore his eyes away from the mysterious man, answering the questions for the exam hurriedly. Once he was finished, and he handed his paper over, he looked to the man, seeing if he had done the same. The man had handed in his own paper as well, perhaps even before him much to Light’s horror. He was in the exact same position he was in before, but now he stared at Light more intensely than he had before. Light shook his head and stared at his desk directly, attempting to think of everything and anything but the man four rows behind him. </p><p>L, meanwhile, was very interested. Yagami Light had handed in his paper mere seconds after himself, indicating that he was either a prodigy or extremely arrogant and believing in his own abilities. The same attitude someone like Kira would have. The lines between this person and Kira were drawing closer than they already were from mere observation. It seemed more and more obvious with time. </p><p>Yagami Light was almost certainly Kira, all he had to do was speak with him, was to make a few sacrifices in order to win the game and create the checkmate.</p><p>--</p><p>Of course, both of them had earnt 100% on their entrance exam scores, and now they had to speak to their entire year level. Many faces sat before both of them, questioning themselves and tearing their minds beyond their usual capabilities.</p><p>“They look completely different. One looks like he was meant to be here and the other looks like he’s a high school dropout. It simply does not make sense!” </p><p>“Both of them must be very smart considering they both got 100%...”</p><p>L was wearing the same outfit, and his facial expression was even plainer than the last time Light saw him. Those eyes held no expression behind them, they only held colour. His speech was read from a blank piece of paper, he didn’t even bother to hide it. His voice was deep and lazy, it held no emotion and only spoke the words filling themselves in his head. </p><p>How could someone who was on the par with the likes of him act so undignified? Light was in wonder, despite his dislike for those who were overly curious. He could feel eyes on his own eyes as he presented his speech to his year level, said eyes belonging both to the people he was speaking to and the mystery man himself. </p><p>As he walked back, the mystery man trailed behind him, his back in a position that would cause him irreversible damage and a thumb in his mouth. </p><p>“Yagami Light, your father is Yagami Soichiro of the NPA. A respect for your father matched only by your strong sense of justice.” Light resisted the urge to turn his head, in shock as he made his way to his seat. How did this man know his father’s name? How did he know things that he had never even remotely mentioned? How was he to decode the riddles that this man spoke in?</p><p>Light had underestimated the mysterious man, that was certain.</p><p>As the two sat in the front row, facing the current speaker on the stage, the mysterious man spoke once more. His voice was almost a whisper, no one around them could hear the words he said. In that moment, it almost seemed to be intimate, the way the two exchanged verbal lashes. </p><p>“You’re looking to join the NPA once you graduate, seeing as you’ve had past experience with helping them out on cases before. Now, you’re interested in the Kira case, yes?” Light nodded ever so slightly, avoiding the analytic grey eyes as he did so. </p><p>L had the tip of his thumb in his mouth, only his eyes faced Light whilst the rest of him was directed towards the front. It was interesting how Light had avoided eye contact, despite being someone so confident in himself and his abilities. What was he thinking of now? Was he doing this on purpose or was this entirely coincidence?</p><p>“I have some confidential information regarding said case, if you would like to hear it.” The young man stiffened with anticipation, obviously curious as to what the information was.</p><p>“Can you keep a secret?” His voice deepened, obviously quietening in the process. After a few seconds, Light eventually nodded.</p><p>“I can keep a secret. I promise I won’t tell anyone.” L turned his head to face Light, his expression the same as before despite saying the words that would declare the true beginning to their game.</p><p>“I’m L.” His eyes were wide and eager, wonderous about the reaction of his suspect. Said suspect was extremely talented at concealing his emotions, his expression showed only the littlest indication of surprise, and even then, L considered the possibility of it being an act. As the seconds ticked by, this reaction became more obvious, his suspect shaking ever so slightly before him. Soon enough, it stopped completely, and he seemed composed. </p><p>Did Light anticipate this? Did he know that he was L? What did Light know, and what did he not know? Was he putting on an act right now, or was this real? L did not know the answers to these questions, and it infuriated him. Never had the answers to simple questions been so hard to prove before. He constantly backtracked any possible answer, concluding them all, including the conflicting ones, with ‘that’s impossible’. </p><p>“If you really are L… then you have nothing but my respect and admiration.” Light seemed composed, this time looking him in the eyes as he spoke. L’s heart raced with thrill, predicting the actions of Light and reacting to the output was indeed thrilling. This was what it was like to really interact with the suspect, the Lind L Tailor incident had been only a trailer in comparison. </p><p>‘This is how Yagami Soichiro’s son would respond, either he’s a very impressive actor, or his circumstances are extremely fitting. Either way, this shall be very interesting. Let’s see how you react to this, Yagami Light.’</p><p>“Thank you, the reason why I revealed this was because I thought your deductive skills could be of some use to the case.” L leaned forward ever so slightly, completely in thought. ‘The likelihood you are Kira is just under 5%, yet, something seems off. As if I’m not entirely wrong to suspect you. You’re too perfect, Yagami Light, eerily so. Most wouldn’t see anything wrong with that, in fact, according to them that would be a positive factor, however, it isn’t good. At all. Yagami Light, if you know what I’m thinking now, what will your response be?’</p><p>“Well, I’m honoured that you have considered me for this opportunity.” Everyone around them stood up, signalling the end to the ceremony. The two didn’t notice at first, immersed in their mental battle, until the rush of people flooded their vision. Light got up from his seat and extended a hand to L, a polite smile on his face.</p><p>“Shall we go?” L took Light’s hand in order to stand up, then he let go, trailing behind him with his back slouched and the tip of his thumb in his mouth. </p><p>“This human sure is interesting…” Ryuk spoke in the background, trailing behind L to the outdoors. </p><p>The two stopped in front of a limousine, L’s limousine. Students around them were in awe, whispering to their friends hurriedly about the situation. L didn’t see why they should care, they would forget by tomorrow anyway, that was just the way they were.</p><p>“Thank you for the pleasant talk Yagami-kun, perhaps, next time we are both here, we can have a friendly match of tennis?” Light’s eyes brightened as he nodded, clearly enthusiastic about the idea.</p><p>“Sounds lovely, Hideki-san.” Light bowed as he spoke, his natural confidence reflecting on his actions. </p><p>“Please, call me Ryuga. I hate to be so formal.” The door opened, and Watari guided him in. </p><p>“I’ll see you soon, Yagami Light.” As the car drove away, Light frowned, walking away with Ryuk stalking behind him. </p><p>“Hyuk, hyuk, if this guy is actually L, then he’s pretty good.” Light was fuming in his rage, no longer trying to control himself or his reasonability.</p><p>‘Oh L, the games will only be more interesting from now on. I bet I had you jumping from sky high hoops the entire time. This game will have a winner in the end, and that winner must be me.’</p><p>'Yagami Light, no matter what it takes, I will exploit you and I will win this battle of ours. I know it all, the moment you are found to be Kira is the moment I say "checkmate", it is written in the stars. Just look to the dark sky which you have been named after.'</p><p>Both sat in their respective rooms, the areas around them pitch black. They were two sides of the same coin, and two ends on the same colour spectrum. Unknown to them, neither could live whilst the other survived, neither could thrive whilst the other fell to their demise. </p><p>"I don't care who get's hurt in the process, for my reign will make me victorious!"</p><p>They didn't care who got hurt, in this point at time, the iceberg had tipped. No longer did they care for their ideal version of justice, what they cared for was their victories.</p><p>"Kira,"</p><p>"L,"</p><p>"You are not justice. And I will sacrifice both myself and my sanity in order to prove that!"</p><p>"Kira will not last!"</p><p>"Kira will be the god of this new world!"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I know, I know, I said "this chapter will be out soon!" and "I look forward to writing it!" When in reality... it was probably the hardest chapter to write, and the chapter I actually wanted to write was the next one, Mortals &amp; Fools. </p><p>Hello everyone, today it is the 6th of Jan 2021, the last update was on 22nd of December 2020, I'm so sorry for not updating sooner. I suppose there was a lack of motivation, due to Chapter 9 not really getting anything despite me being super proud of it because my writing had improved. There was also me being insecure about The Japanese Brooklyn 99 as per usual and of course, New Year's. So I'm sorry for that, hopefully this chapter isn't too bad of a filler. And also let's hope that next chapter doesn't come out in three weeks.</p><p>I'm aiming to have this story done before school starts in late Jan, I only have 9 chapters left, let's hope I can write them right. (For once-)</p><p>After this, I'll either work on Chapter 35 of The Japanese Brooklyn Nine-Nine or Chapter 11 of this story, either way, something else will be posted tonight I suppose.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Mortals & Fools</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Even as intelligent as she was when compared to other Shinigami, Rem could never understand Amane Misa. That girl was much like an extremely compelling fairy tale, filled with twists and turns that kept the mind stimulated. The concepts this girl adored seemed like mere puzzles to Rem. Romance, love, obsession, marriage. Misa had spoken of the premises behind these words before, yet, Rem was still unable to comprehend them. </p><p>“Misa?” Misa blinked sleepily, her gaze attached to the screen in front of her and the two actors pictured in it. Even when Rem’s voice reached her ears, her head never turned. However, she did shift her position in an attempt to make herself more comfortable. </p><p>“What is it Rem?” Her romance movie reached a comedic point in its sequence, causing her previous focus to waver. Rem hovered over her, the scaly hand curling into a fist. The slouch was more evident than it had been before the past hour, her eyes downcast to the human underneath her at that very moment. </p><p>“Why did she go back to him after all of her suffering…? It doesn’t make sense.” Misa almost chuckled at the question, if it didn’t come from the monotone Shinigami following her, she would consider the being naïve or very unromantic. She tucked a strand of her hair back behind her ear, her two fingers remaining in order to fidget with the strand. She leaned against the edge of her palm, almost dreamily. </p><p>“She goes back to him because she loves him, duh! Have you been paying attention at all? You were the one who picked the movie!” That was true, Rem did pick the movie. She picked it in hopes it would answer her questions about the concepts Misa held so dearly to her heart. However, it only prompted more questions much to Rem’s dismay.</p><p>What purpose did love hold? Didn’t everything in the human world matter in some shape or form? Wasn’t everything meant to hold some significance? As far as Rem knew, the day for celebrating love was a very convincing scam, the movies and media relating to the subject were made to entertain and to earn more money. But that didn’t make sense. If love was only invented for money, how was Gelus able to feel that emotion? How did the poor consume said media and how did those with little emotional capacity feel it?</p><p>From what Rem could see, love always hurt those involved. It always left sorrow behind it, along with mental scars. Why did humans orient themselves around the things that were inconvenient for them? Long term harm for temporary happiness, the math simply didn’t add up. Why did humans do such things…? Humans were stupid either way, she had decided. And masochistic, definitely masochistic. </p><p>“What is the point of love…? Humans want to feel happy for as long and as much as possible, yes?” Misa nodded rapidly, her eyes never wavering from the screen in front of her. Her legs spread slightly in an attempt to make herself even more comfortable, her left hand resting in between them. </p><p>“Mhm!” The way Misa sounded so certain of herself… it confused Rem. If humans wanted to feel happiness, then why did they fall in love? Why would they purposefully hurt themselves? Were humans a masochistic species? </p><p>“Then why do people fall in love? According to what I’ve seen, love is 9/19 sadness and 1/10 actual happiness.” For a mere moment, Misa almost looked exasperated, before cheering up. Rem wondered what was currently going through Misa’s mind, what was going on up there? How did her mind work? It wasn’t always obvious as to what Misa was thinking whilst she was giving a thoughtful answer, she was surprising like that. </p><p>“It’s the 1/10 that makes it worth it! I’ll give you an example: every moment I spend with my dearest Kira is my 1/10, my waiting to see him again is the 9/10! Sure, the 9/10 hurts, but the 1/10 is what makes it okay again.” Well, that was one way to put it. Rem scowled, floating to the darkest corner of the room. Her wings flapped softly even when she had stopped in her spot, their tips occasionally phasing through the wall. </p><p>A single white feather descended from Rem’s left wing, floating slowly down to the empty coffee table below her. </p><p>Rem’s mind was scrambled, to say the least. If it wasn’t intelligent, if it wasn’t productive, if it didn’t have a purpose other than little doses of happiness, then why did it exist? Why were humans able to feel it? How were Shinigami of all beings able to feel it? Was it similar to the drugs? Was love a drug? Or was it something you could get addicted to? She had to admit, that thought was plausible… yet, there was no physical substance to it. Perhaps the media was propaganda for the cause of emotion, or Valentine’s chocolate had a poison that made those who consumed it long time sufferers? </p><p>“I just don’t see how that is intelligent or productive.” Misa sighed, now she was actually exasperated. Rem would never understand, she wouldn’t ever understand the way she felt towards her dearest saviour. Love was simpler than it seemed according to Misa, it was everywhere, how could anyone be oblivious as to what it was? It was love, why was any explanation needed?</p><p>“You’ll never understand it, us humans are different to you Shinigami. We have more feelings than you do.” Her voice was surprisingly harsh, despite the sweet melody it came with. She now also felt scrambled, how was Rem confused? Weren’t Shinigami meant to be more intelligent than humans?</p><p>Had Shinigami never felt the way a heart could flutter at a simple smile? </p><p>Misa continued to speak softly, speaking of Kira and how she simply couldn’t wait to meet him. Her eyes were widened and they sparkled, no, not with glee nor vengeance as they usually did, but with fondness and with adoring euphoria. </p><p>“He sweeps me off my feet, Rem. When he said my name, my heart was pounding out of my chest! He’s a gentleman, and his arms were so warm when he held me…” Misa was essentially hosting a podcast, only for the Shinigami and herself in her bedroom. Rem sighed silently, almost scoffing at her words. Why should she feel as if this Kira guy was so brilliant? They had met once, and he had showed no signs of ‘being in love with her’. They had hardly said anything to one another, the exchange was brief and real – no signs of puppy love at all. Why should she love him like she did?</p><p>Love was for mortals, Rem had decided. The humans who dedicated their lives to love and devotion always lived for less and always died earlier. Love took lives away from the people who held them; love was a broken rule and death was the brutal consequence. However, as for the Shinigami, they were the fools. Because they should’ve known not to feel such a human emotion, yet they felt it anyway. Love was deadly, and Rem saw it kill in front of her very eyes. </p><p>Misa’s life would not be lived for herself; it would be lived for Kira – a faceless bastard she had met once at a concert. The very dickhead that sat at her concert with a bored expression, looking as if he didn’t want to be there.</p><p>Rem hated him, oh she hated him. She didn’t know it then, and it would take her a long time to discover it, but the fire she felt in her heart wasn’t because she was annoyed with Misa, it was because she was annoyed with him. </p><p>Rem called these feelings agitation (these feelings were mis-labelled, unbeknownst to her, these feelings belonged in the category of jealousy). Even if those feelings were not agitation, she would never admit it, never. </p><p>Those who lived their entire life for another, those who shed tears for only those they loved, those who never thought for themselves because of those they had devoted to themselves were foolish. Love was a hinderance, it was a burden, it was ugly, messy and everything in between. </p><p>What was the reason Rem floated in this very room, this very house, this very world? Was it the curiosity? The selfish desire for entertainment? She didn’t know if there was a purpose to it all, perhaps she was wasting away just as her species typically did, but, in a different location.</p><p>No, that wasn’t it. Perhaps it was the thrill behind it all? </p><p>Whatever it was, Rem wouldn’t be brought to her demise the same way that Gelus was. She would never let that happen to herself. </p><p>Little did she know, that she had already started chipping away, just as Gelus had done before her… </p><p>That white feather held more significance than she would ever know.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello everyone~! It's a few days late, and I'm incredibly sorry to disappoint, but it's finally here! I'm actually kind of proud of this chapter, I really like how it's written. I can't wait to write its sister chapter: When Love Comes. </p><p>Author's comments: The white feather falling in the middle of the chapter (and referenced directly at the end) is a reference to the line before it, about how she had already started slowly chipping away. That line meant to be more of an emotional 'chipping away' kind of thing, but i figured a physical resemblance would be nice. </p><p>(I'll be very honest, I'm kind of disappointed that I'm no longer getting comments on these chapters, because they motivate me significantly, but I'll try my best to push through it nonetheless. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, please do leave a comment, they motivate me a lot and I love seeing them!)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Stalemate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Light basked in his current feelings of excitement and anticipation. The tennis courts never seemed like anything special before the day when L, no, Ryuzaki asked whether he would like to play or not. It was yet another battle to be held by the two, a war of wits and intellect, all covered up by the false guise of friendship and polite words. In the end, one had to win, and that would either be him or L.</p><p>The wind blew by softly, and Light’s eyes remained firmly set on the tennis courts far, far away. Green courts laid themselves out in an orderly fashion, the recent rain doing much good for them. The fence surrounding it was very cheap, something one may find on the grounds of a primary school. The sky was grey, reminiscent of the day in which he held the death note in his hands for the first time. </p><p>Soon enough, he would be playing once more, competing for both the win of the game and the victory of defeating the great L himself. From then on, they would be entangled in each other’s lives, by more than just two computer screens and a single death. </p><p>“Hello, Yagami-kun.” A deep, quiet voice purred into his ear from behind him. Light didn’t turn around; however, he did stand up. L walked around to face him, and Light bowed respectfully.</p><p>“Ryuga-san, good afternoon. How has your day been? Pleasant, I hope.” L nodded slightly, his eyes cold and posture slouched as he spoke. </p><p>“I’m well, thank you. And yourself?”</p><p>“Well.” Light gestured towards the tennis courts and L walked with him, his bare feet creating no noise as he walked.</p><p>“Don’t you need shoes?” L shook his head, looking at Light as if he had asked a very stupid question. As if it was Matsuda who asked him instead of Light. L sighed.</p><p>“No, Yagami-kun, I do not need shoes. I never wore shoes when I used to play, though it has been a while, I’m sure I won’t need them now.” </p><p>‘He used to play?’ Light questioned himself, ‘If I ask him how long he’s played for, and how much he’s played, will he think I’m Kira? Will he think I’m being overly invasive in doing that?’</p><p>“Hideki-san-“</p><p>“Call me Ryuga-san please.” Right, he disliked formal honorifics. Light had completely forgotten.</p><p>“Ryuga-san, how long have you played tennis?” L seemed to be contemplating whether to answer or not, seeing as his walking slowed when they were going up the hill. </p><p>“I played for many years, in fact, I was the British Junior Champion.” Light nodded politely, a slightly starstruck look was placed on his face. ‘If I ask him if he’s British, will that raise suspicion?’</p><p>“None of this information will help you expose who L is, I assure you.” Ah yes, he had already thought of it, of course he had. With the way he acted, and the way he spoke, it was easy to forget he was a genius. </p><p>Once the two reached the tennis courts, they both picked up spare tennis rackets that had been left on the ground and a ball from a few courts away.</p><p>“Do you think the people playing previously left to have a break?” Light had asked him, just in case the rackets belonged to actual people rather than the school. L shrugged carelessly, exemplifying his ability to sacrifice things both big and small in order to complete the task at hand. </p><p>“They won’t be too mad about it, I hope.” Light merely shook his head in exasperation, taking one side of the court as L took the other. </p><p>‘Kira loves to win, if Light ends up winning this match, I’ll know that I have every right to raise my suspicions. However, Kira is also smart. If he allows me to win for the sake of trying to deter suspicion, he will only end up looking more suspicious. Either way, he will look like a suspect, whether the percentages raise or not however, is all down to his behaviour. We’ll see what happens, Yagami Light.’</p><p>‘L will get suspicious if I lose, but he will also suspect me if I win. He knows the way Kira seems to behave, just as I know the way L seems to behave. We’re entirely different, yet, I can understand him easily. Either way, I will still be a suspect, and L’s suspicions of me will only grow at the end of this match. I must tread carefully.’</p><p>L threw the ball and struck it into Light’s court with a strong backhand, his racket towards the left, his left hand on top of his right. As the two hit the ball to one another, going somewhat soft on the first round, L spoke:</p><p>“He who strikes first, wins.” The two didn’t realise that there were a few people watching them, too immersed in their game. </p><p>Eventually, Light won the point, and it was his turn to serve. </p><p>‘I have to make L unaware of my weaknesses and strengths. I have to do everything the same, not showing what my weakest points are.’</p><p>The two hit the ball to one another with ease, sweat dripping and eyes filled with determination. The two hadn’t played for years, though it didn’t seem that way. They were both well-versed in the sport, L being a British junior champion and Light being very talented and winning almost every match he played. </p><p>With Ryuk shouting scores in the background, and the sharp words the two would say to each other, Light knew that this was true competition. It wasn’t the tennis, it wasn’t the audience, it wasn’t the atmosphere, it was him. L. Light hadn’t felt such thrill in a long time, he didn’t remember the last time in which he felt the way he did. Perhaps the first time he played tennis, perhaps not, he wouldn’t remember.  </p><p>“The outcome of this game determines how suspicious of being Kira you are, Yagami Light.” Light was taken aback at that, losing the ball due to shock. He dutifully passed it to L, waiting for him to strike. </p><p>‘I knew I was a suspect, but I didn’t think he would be so blunt about it, in a public space especially. I need to watch every move he makes, and I need to watch every move I make.’</p><p>It was an extremely close match, with both participants drenching in sweat and exhaustion. However, in the end, L had won. He had actually almost tied with Light, but they agreed to one more match to determine a winner. The whole school had watched them in utter fascination, the tennis coaches had their eyes wide with stars in them. </p><p>“You play very well Yagami-kun, I’m glad to have a competitor that is so proficient in the game.” Light bowed his head respectfully, shaking L’s hand tightly. </p><p>“This is the first time since my first few years of training that I’ve lost, you truly are very good at what you do. I’d love to play again sometime.” L agreed with a small smile, finally letting go of Light’s hand. </p><p>“I’d like that, Light-kun.” The two walked off the court, dropping the rackets carelessly, uncaring of anything or anyone else around them.</p><p>‘We would have drawn if Light-kun didn’t choose to have another set to determine the winner. We’re both very similar, I think, which makes things harder. His percentage has risen; however, I do not have enough evidence to confirm this. All I can do is wait.’</p><p>‘He suspects me of being Kira, the evidence they have is that I’m a student in the Kanto region with connections to the police, that’s all they have on me. No, that’s too much, of course they suspect me. All I can do is make it seem like a coincidence. He knows he’ll lose, because this isn’t leading him anywhere. This competing won’t lead him anywhere.’</p><p>“Thank you for playing with me, Light-kun. I’m rather lonely at times, so it’s always nice to have the company of another.” Light knew those words were a lie, all of it was a lie, it was another factor into picking the case apart. However, Light smiled in a friendly way. It didn’t quite reach his eyes, but he figured that L would understand.</p><p>“It is, you’ve been a good friend Ryuga-san.” L’s mind froze at the word ‘friend’, it was a term he was unfamiliar with.</p><p>‘We’re entering friend territory? Is he being genuine or is he lying to me. His smile isn’t reaching his eyes, he’s lying. He’s being polite.’ L was surprisingly relieved at this; he would much prefer to not get attached to Light.</p><p>“Thank you, Light-kun. You’re a good friend as well.” On the outside, Light smiled, but on the inside, he cackled.</p><p>‘He believes it! He really believes this trickery! If he believes it, then I’ll believe it as well. He’ll get emotionally attached, then it will kill him. Only then, will I win. I will be victorious! Kira’s reign will dominate above all!’</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello everyone, I understand it's been a while since I've uploaded a chapter. I'm sorry for that, I had no ideas for this chapter, in the end, I decided that I wanted to explore the thoughts a bit and did that. </p><p>Hope you all enjoyed, the other chapters will be up soon. I look forward to writing Honour Bound the most, because that one always hits me in the feels.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. I'll Only Love You More</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>To Misa, love was a very simple concept. It was something she had dreamed of her entire life, something she had aspired for. It was perhaps what she desired the most in life. It was something that she had wanted for so long, ever since a young age. It was something that she could understand simply, with no revision and no explanation needed. Love was just there, and it was golden.</p><p>She was 6-years-old when her mother first read Romeo and Juliet to her. Misa had curled up against her mother as she read from the timeless play. Its language was old and confusing, yet her mother read it with a voice that was so elegant and so designed for the play that at that time, she didn’t mind. It wasn’t the language that stuck with her, but the message. </p><p>At first, she had questioned it. “But Mama, why do they do such dangerous things? Why do they feel happy doing things like this?” Her mother had laughed and continued reading, giving Misa a kiss on her forehead before doing so. Another page had been turned, and Misa forgot all the things she had wanted to say as her mother’s voice echoed throughout their new, empty living room. Once they had finished reading the play together several weeks later, the young Misa had understood it, finally. </p><p>She had taken the copy from her mother and had read it before bed over and over. She had taken the book to school with her, she had written book reports on it. Misa adored that play; it had sprouted a desire that she had never thought about before in her six years of living. </p><p>She wanted something like that, it seemed so beautiful and poetic. From then on, she carried hope in her heart that she could find her Romeo to her Juliet, that Romeo would save her from something she couldn’t save herself from. He would give everything for her, and she would give everything to him. The two of them would be blinded by their love for each other, they would deafened by their devotion. </p><p>The tragedy would be sorrowful unlike anything else. However, their happy ending would be worth it all. </p><p>She still had the play, in fact, the exact copy that her mother had read to her from. It laid on her bookshelf, tattered and overused. She still read it obsessively, she still held it in her hands just as her mother had, and as of late, she had begun to hide her death note in it. </p><p>As she grew older, she became more interested in films and television series, back then, Misa had obsessed over those shows. Always wondering when she would find her someone. When Romeo would find her. Those shows would always end happily, no matter how much their characters had suffered in the beginning. The characters would cry in each other’s arms, then kiss in the rain, perhaps they would be dancing beforehand. So many different types of romance, comedic, tragic, feel-good. No matter how intense they may be, in the end, they always ended happy. </p><p>And nowadays, she wrote songs expressing this desire for love. Her lyrics were filled with longing and with want, they were filled with the desires of a girl who was still young at heart. The words spoke to those just like her, to those who dreamed and to those who loved endlessly, to those who were waiting patiently for their special someone’s. </p><p>Misa waited patiently, she spent her childhood and adolescence waiting, and in the end, she was rewarded. </p><p>His name was Yagami Light, also known as Kira. She knew little about him, however, Misa knew that she would get to know him as they interacted more. He was her soulmate, she could feel it in the way her heart had beat faster, the little gasp that would elicit whenever Kira had done something new. </p><p>His eyes were a warm brown, they searched for the heart of those they deemed worthy. His hair was swept in the way she had always wanted to see on someone. His body wasn’t visible the day she had met him in the concert, but he clearly didn’t have a bad body. </p><p>He was perfect, from just that alone, along with his personality and the way he had spoken to her that day.</p><p>Light and Kira were two different people, and she was in love with them both.</p><p>Light was less confident than Kira, more willing to allow his charisma to guide him to where he needed to be. He was also hardworking and kind, he never answered any situation with immediate hostility and he always said the right things. Light was sensible, Light was perfect for her. </p><p>Kira, however, was more dominating. He was more dangerous, similar to Light but with more impulsivity. He fulfilled Misa’s wish for a forbidden romance, for something so thrilling that to imagine it in a real life setting would be absurd. Kira was the man who avenged her and her parents, he saved her. He would forever be her saviour, for he brought her justice and for he brought her happiness she thought that would drown in grief. </p><p>Love was always meant to be something that swept her away and overtook her, it always meant to consume her. Love was something that she never quite doubted, she always quite certain that she would find it. </p><p>She would sacrifice everything for him, in fact, she already had. Without knowing it, of course. Misa gave away her eyes, her sanity, her time and her lifespan for him, what else could she possibly give? He had given her justice, and in return, she had given him everything she had in order to repay him. He wouldn’t pay her back for the copious love she had given him, though she didn’t need to know that.  </p><p>Misa stood from her bed and took the copy of the play out of her bookshelf, opening it to the section which held pages of the death note. She hadn’t used the deathly notebook yet, though she knew it to be real once Rem appeared. Perhaps she should use it, to show Kira her love for him. Would he be proud of her if she begun to write names to? If she cleared more people in order to create their new world?</p><p>Misa loved him with her whole heart, whenever she thought of him, her cheeks grew red and her eyes widened. Her breath hitched and she beamed. She missed him more than anything, and she hoped that they could meet soon. </p><p>He may not love her yet, no, however, he would eventually. No matter how much he didn’t love her, she would love him wholeheartedly. </p><p>She would sacrifice for him what he would never even think of giving to her. </p><p>The television turned on with the press of a button, and the news appeared before her. Before Kira, she would never watch the news, but now, it was the only channel she ever watched. In front of her, a police officer named Ukita Hirokazu was on the screen. Apparently, this was being filmed live.</p><p>He would find Kira, he would find out about Light, about the tapes that she had sent to Sakura TV, the ones she had sent to warn of a second Kira, the ones she had planned to air tomorrow. She had meant to kill tonight, and have them air tomorrow, but if this police officer found them, then her plan to woo Kira would fail.</p><p>With no hesitance, his name was written down. The characters were neat, almost ironically so, considering this notebook was basically a voodoo notebook and not a bullet journal. This notebook had the ability to kill, the ability to bring her one step closer to love. </p><p>30 seconds left, and her heart was beating wildly. Was it wrong to kill an innocent? No, he was going to try and exploit her, he was trying to ruin God’s vision. This was in God’s plan, and it was in Kira that she would trust.  </p><p>20 seconds to go, did she have any last regrets? No, not at all. She didn’t know him; she didn’t care for him. If everything was going to go according to plan, then his death wouldn’t matter within a week anyway. </p><p>10 seconds remained, and she was numb. The officer was shaking the doors, trying to get past the locks hurriedly. He knew there were tapes there, if he was to live, nothing would go to plan. Kira would hate her, and she couldn’t bear that. </p><p>5,</p><p>4,</p><p>3,</p><p>2,</p><p>1.</p><p>He clutched at his chest and fell to the floor. After a few more seconds, he stopped moving entirely.   </p><p>Everything was going according to plan, now that the burden was out the way. </p><p>Light and Kira would love her, just as she loved them.</p><p>She would have her Romeo and Juliet love story, no matter what it took.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi everyone! This is a double upload actually, please read the previous chapter if you haven't already! I actually really like how this chapter turned out, and I hope you all enjoy it as well &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Honour Bound</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>His wife laid peacefully in his arms, gentle snores filling the air. Every now and then, she buried herself deeper in Soichiro’s arms, causing the man to smile. She was exhausted from her long day and had fallen asleep quickly. </p><p>However, Soichiro was wide awake, feeling no desire to sleep. His eyes were blinking quickly, and he fidgeted a lot. He was surprisingly restless, seeing as his mind was running at a thousand miles per hour. His contemplation was the reason why he remained awake; he had a question that needed to be answered. It didn’t matter that he was to enter work the next day, or that he had to check on Sayu early in the morning to make sure she got to school. He had priorities. </p><p>His family was perfect, well, as flawless as a family could get anyway. He couldn’t ask for any better and he was so grateful to them. They were the people he wanted to come home to, he loved them more than anything. His loyalty to them was something that couldn’t be doubted, that was for certain.</p><p>Sachiko was beautiful and certainly the kindest person he knew. She gave Matsuda a run for his money with how empathetic she was. They had first met at the ice cream stall at the university they attended, and ever since, they couldn’t get out of each other’s lives. He had fallen in love almost immediately, and now, many years later, he continued to fall over and over again. In their mid-forties, they were still newlyweds, and it felt utterly beautiful. </p><p>Sayu was definitely his daughter, in every sense. From her passion for justice to the way she smiled. She had the best qualities of both parents, and it showed in the way she behaved. She was chatty and friendly, always able to take a joke. She would be successful in life, Soichiro knew that was definite. </p><p>Light was someone that not even God himself could compete with. He was intelligent and absurdly so, his work ethic was how he succeeded in life and his confidence was something Soichiro envied. There were many enviable things about Light, he would enter the NPA, he would get married to Amane Misa and have beautiful children. At least, that was what Light had told him that he intended to do. Not to mention Light’s strong sense of justice, something that came from himself. </p><p>Him and Light were similar in so many ways, it was almost overwhelming. Their sense of justice was probably their linking factor – justice mattered a lot for them, it was as clear as day that Light had been raised with the same values that Soichiro himself held. Their work ethic was similar as well, they both believed in working hard for something that one wants.</p><p>They both had the same ideal destiny, getting a good job in the NPA, getting married to a beautiful woman with a big heart, along with having at least two children. Their lives were planned out for them and it seemed perfect. Until they came back to reality and it slapped them in the face, that is.  </p><p>If they were so brilliant, then why did this have to happen to them? Why was it Light who was suspected of being Kira? Kira was a monster, the definition of unjust. Kira was arrogant, unjust, selfish, evil and a murderer. Light wasn’t any of these things. It couldn’t be him. It wasn’t possible, they were too different. </p><p>All L had was coincidences, things that could be shaped into evidence if manipulated in the correct way. In order to suspect someone, one had to have solid facts, according to Soichiro anyway. L didn’t know his son the way he did, and he knew that Light couldn’t be Kira. </p><p>However, if he backtracked to the beginning of the case, the lines begun to blur. According to the times of the deaths, Kira had to be a student. Though when they found out that Kira could control the times of deaths, this began to look less likely. Kira was from the Kanto region – now this was confirmed by an experiment that had been conducted by L himself. The more different points of the case and their validity came to light, the more it began to make sense. It all added up in the end. But, could coincidence turn into fact? </p><p>L had once told him, “Those who seem perfect always have something to hide.” When Soichiro had asked him how likely it was, L had answered with a shockingly high 100%. He seemed very definite in himself, and if Soichiro knew that L was extremely certain, it most likely meant he was right. </p><p>With Sayu and Sachiko, he could spot character flaws, though they were few. Unlike Light, they still seemed like people. Despite having overwhelmingly positive qualities, it didn’t eliminate the negatives that were there. At the end of the day, Sayu and Sachiko were still human, and all humans were flawed. </p><p>With Light, he simply couldn’t. There was nothing to Light that would make him less perfect in any way. All those around Light saw him as a god, as someone from above, nothing more and nothing less. If Soichiro thought about it properly, it was very worrying. This entire time, he was a hypocrite to his own beliefs. Soichiro had always believed that if someone seemed too clean and overly perfect, that they were suspicious. 90% of the time, if a suspect had an eerily clean record and they were high on the suspect list, they would be the person who had committed the crime. He had wondered why he hadn’t done the same with Light, why he hadn’t thought of it the same way. </p><p>When he glanced down to his sleeping wife, he remembered why. Because he loved Light, because Light was his dearest son. How would he be able to convince himself that his dearest son was a monster? He couldn’t do it, he had watched Light grow up, he had raised him from birth to the man he was today.</p><p>How would Soichiro be able to live knowing that he had raised a monster?</p><p>He didn’t know either, how would he live if his son turned out to be the infamous Kira? His heart would be shattered. He would never be the same, the family wouldn’t be the same, his co-workers and friends wouldn’t be either. </p><p>All the evidence pointed to Light so far, and there were no other suspects. Him and L constantly battled each other, almost like they both knew what they were doing. He saw the thrill in their eyes, he saw the way they exchanged harsh insults that were coated in pleasantries. Soichiro had never seen his son behave in that way, and he had never seen him look as excited as he did. They were constantly fighting one another, constantly bickering, constantly complaining. Only a detective and their suspect would behave in that way, only two opposites and two enemies would behave in that way. </p><p>With the flashbacks and the memories of the two fighting in the way they did, Soichiro had made a terrible realisation. Light was Kira. All the evidence pointed to it, perhaps if they had another suspect it would be less believable. Light had also changed as of late, his behaviour had been more reserved and hostile. Only he had access to the NPA database, seeing as Soichiro worked there. </p><p>At the beginning of the investigation, when Aizawa had asked L why he wanted Light on the task force, L had answered with “keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer”. It was a perfect description, L and Light had always remained very close to each other, hell, they were chained together for a month. This was a game for them, they didn’t give a shit about justice. They wanted thrill, they didn’t want to catch Kira, they didn’t want to create a new world. They were too addicted to the game they played.</p><p>How could he have raised such a monster? How could Light have gone from the sweet five-year-old that drew him a picture because he wanted to give his father something nice to a mass murderer who was deluded into believing his idea of justice was righteous? </p><p>Was this his fault? He had raised him after all. Where had he gone wrong? Light was his pride and joy, Light was his dearest son, how would he be able to forgive himself after this? Light was the person Sayu spoke of with such strong disgust it almost seemed as if she was speaking of vermin. Light was the person they were going to kill once they caught him. He was the person that had been playing games with them this entire time. He manipulated them, he tricked them.</p><p>Why he hadn’t seen Light as Kira before? Because Light was still there before, before, Light and Kira were two separate people. Light didn’t show anyone his Kira side, he never did. However, he didn’t have a Light side and a Kira side anymore. </p><p>There was no Light behind his son’s eyes.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Sachiko.”</p><p>Only Kira remained.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello everyone! An update less than 24 hours later, wow! XD</p><p>Now, let me leave a disclaimer real quick: I personally don't believe the theory of Light and Kira being 2 separate people, however, the characters do and it's very interesting to write about as well.</p><p>Please leave me some comments below, I love reading your feedback! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Playing His Game</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Light and L sat on the bed that they shared, the former leaning against the headboard tiredly and the other squatting opposite to him. It was the middle of the night, and the moon shone brilliantly into their room. In between them, the moonlight glowed onto the chess set between them, white and black pieces gleaming. L’s laptop was placed onto an armchair far away and Light sat straight with his legs crossed. </p><p>“Would you like to play a game with me, Light-kun?” L’s voice was monotonous as always, yet, it was softer. Perhaps it was the moon that reflected into his eyes, or maybe it was emotion, Light didn’t care to ponder it. His head was throbbing and he felt as if he had a dreadful hangover. However, he hadn’t had any alcohol that day, he was merely stressed. </p><p>“No thank you, I have a headache and I think it would be best to sleep it off.” L shifted, leaning forward and facing Light directly instead of staring at the moon. Light swallowed, his heart pounding rapidly. </p><p>‘Why must he come so close?’ </p><p>“But this may help Light-kun.” It wouldn’t help, both Light and L were aware of that. However, a battle was a battle, and Light couldn’t pass up the opportunity.</p><p>‘Will he suspect me more if I say no? I do look sick, but I’ve never denied before, to deny now would be suspicious. Plus, he and I both know that he’s lying and he wants to make me suffer, however, what he doesn’t know is that he’ll be suffering soon enough.’</p><p>“Alright, I’ll play. But don’t expect a good round, I’m not at my best right now.” L was content with that, nodding as he flipped around the board so white was on his side and black was on Light’s. Light leaned forward as well, his forearms laying on his legs. </p><p>“Shouldn’t we turn on the light?” Light whispered, almost reluctantly. It would feel too safe if the light was on. It wouldn’t be the same, to have a game of chess in the moonlight sounded far better than a normal game. </p><p>“I believe we’ll be fine without it.” L spoke in the same voice, moving one of his pawns one square forward. He held the pawn there for a while before releasing it, allowing it to rest there at last. </p><p>“He who strikes first wins.” Light spoke softly, almost chuckling. His eyes were lit up, and the lights in them danced happily. It was a rare look, L had to admit.   </p><p>“Corny, Light-kun.” L sounded brighter as well, waiting for Light’s next move. Light was to move the pawn opposite to him; he was to mirror L’s moves. 80% of the time he would do just that, anyway. And if it wasn’t that, he would move a random pawn, which would mean he hadn’t come up with a strategy yet. </p><p>“You told me that when we first played tennis together.” The tennis match was a positive memory for both players, it was everything they had needed. The two were starved for competition and stimulation before they had met each other, no one was ever quite as interesting or quite as the other.</p><p>Light moved his pawn, and much to L’s interest, he had not mirrored his moves this time. </p><p>“I know I did.” L contemplated his next move, watching Light’s expression as he did so. Light seemed to be thinking himself, possibly planning his next move according to what he thought L’s may be. His face was focused and a gentle scowl was now present. L knew what this meant, it meant that Light didn’t see many likely successful moves. </p><p>“Hm, you really want to play that game.” The sentence was left hung in the air as the two continued playing. </p><p>‘Do I want to move my piece there? Can I take the risk? No, Ryuzaki is the type to take the risk, and I for one am not. It’s safest to put another pawn out, I know which one to do.’</p><p>‘Light-kun would never take the risk, he wouldn’t dare. We’ve played chess too many times to count, I know he would never sacrifice any of his players.’</p><p>“Light-kun, next time don’t put your knight where I can easily kill it.” L was surprised when he found himself killing the knight, seeing as Light wasn’t the type to sacrifice pieces in chess unless he was at the very end. </p><p>“It’s not exactly wise to sacrifice your queen either.” Light’s tone was almost teasing, clearly enjoying himself. L shook his head, placing yet another piece near the middle. </p><p>“I don’t need a queen to win, I’ve won against you without a queen before.” Light shook his head, also placing his piece down, removing one of L’s pawns from the board. </p><p>“However, you have also lost without a queen before.” The two played for a while longer, their moves sometimes taking minutes, other times taking seconds. They were reading each other constantly, constantly knowing what the other would do. </p><p>‘I will win!’</p><p>‘I will lose…’</p><p>“Checkmate, Ryuzaki.” Light had won, L’s king was now trapped, there was no more he could do. L removed his king from the board, his thumb trapped in between his teeth thoughtfully. </p><p>“Good game, you have defeated me once more.” The two shook hands, perhaps a little tighter than necessary. They held on for a moment longer than needed, and then they let go. </p><p>“It was a very close round, I enjoyed it.” More polite words, more pretences. </p><p>“Did it help your headache?” Light nodded softly, however, him and L both knew it was a lie. Light’s face was flushed, and his head was throbbing madly. </p><p>“A little, however, I think it’s best that I get some rest.” L hummed, before moving to the windowsill. Light laid down, clutching a pillow to his chest.  </p><p>“Sweet dreams Light-kun.” Light buried his face in the pillow, hoping it would somehow relieve him from the terrible headache. </p><p>That was a lie, that Light had just told. The game did not help his headache, as a matter of fact, it had worsened it. However, it wasn’t about the pain. He was focused on the game they had just played, the one in which he had won.</p><p>L knew him so well it was frightening. L could mimic him effortlessly, he could predict his moves, he could deduce Light’s facial expressions. No one else could do that, not even his own father or his own sister. L seemed to know him inside and out, nobody else knew him in that way, most didn’t even know the most obvious things about him. For all his life up to now, he had been so incredibly lonely. And then there he was. L. </p><p>They were playing a game, the two of them. They bounced off one another’s competitiveness, they battled with a disguised intensity unlike any other. Even the others could see it at that point, the dense Matsuda had asked if they ever got tired of bickering, the exasperated Aizawa had pulled them apart more than once. They were never sick of one another, never.</p><p>‘I’ll imitate him until I can get into his mind, I’ll analyse him until I can see what he sees. It may not be a pretty sight, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes.’</p><p>His life was now under the control of L, though he didn’t realise it. He made all of his decisions based on what L did or how L thought. He based his opinions based on how L would counteract them. Everything he did was to make L react, nothing more and nothing less. </p><p>He lived for L, and L only. He wouldn’t have it any other way, this was the first time he had ever been so stimulated. It was the first time he had ever felt thrilled, as if he was doing something dangerous. </p><p>Though, he didn’t know this. He didn’t know of the pain he would be in during later days, he didn’t know of the mistake he had made, he didn’t know of how terrible victory would feel.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi! Sorry for not updating in a while, this chapter has been a nightmare in terms of motivation. I know it's short, and I'm sorry, but enjoy I guess.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Borrowed Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Misa laid contently on her bed, her strip lights dimmed to allow sleep to come to her and her door was ajar. The sheets underneath her were crisp against her skin, though not cold. The air was warm and her fireplace toasted the room nicely. The aroma of roses and of fire wafted throughout the room, easily making the room a place of comfort. However, no matter how nice the room was, sleep did not come to Misa easily. No, it left her wide awake, waiting for either her boyfriend to come back into bed with her, or for her eyes to finally close.</p><p>Ever since she had been released from confinement, she had been plagued with terror. Before confinement, she had been a fearless girl, someone who was extremely confident in both herself and her abilities. She showed no fear, and it was genuine. However, it was now an act, this fearless girl façade. There were many things she was afraid of, many things that used to seem so friendly were now more terrifying than anything else. They plagued her at night, and they haunted her throughout the day. </p><p>One of those fears was the dark. Being trapped in the complete dark was something terrifying to her, it took her control away from her and placed it into the hands of the uncertain. Back in confinement, she had been blindfolded, and she hadn’t been able to see for a very long time. Though it was worth it in the end, it did leave scars on her that would never heal. She wouldn’t be able to walk in the dark without fear plaguing her ever again, she would be unable to sleep without the light on. </p><p>Though, according to her, as long as it was for the cause of Kira’s new world and as long as it benefitted her dearest Light, it was worth it. She never spoke a word of her trauma to him or anyone, not wanting to burden him with problems. She knew he already had enough on his plate, with the pesky L and the annoying task force on his tail. </p><p>Misa would never tell anyone of the anxiety she would experience internally, she wouldn’t even admit it aloud to herself. Though, sometimes she thought Rem could see it. Sometimes she thought that Rem understood more about humans than she claimed she did. However, she would often dismiss this with a shake of her head. </p><p>If Rem could see it, surely Light could too? Light was way smarter than Rem (supposedly), and he was a human who actually understood human emotions. Did he see it and not mention it? Or did he see it but not care enough about it to do anything?</p><p>Everyone was lying to her, though she didn’t know it. One didn’t care, the other yearned, and everyone else smiled politely. In this society, those who hated openly were judged, unless their hatred was to a person so far away from them that it would never matter. Misa would never be able to survive happily if she was to realise that such things were happening right in front of her.</p><p>Being alone was another fear of hers, the thought of being in isolation – short term or long term, terrified her. She didn’t want to be alone; she didn’t want to be trapped again. She didn’t want to be scared again. Misa wanted to be with Light, Misa wanted Light to hold her in his arms and to caress her cheek. Light would tell her that she was being silly, and that he was here now, and that she had nothing to worry about. He would kiss her forehead and stroke her hair until she finally fell asleep. </p><p>She needed someone to hold her hand and tell her that they were right there. Misa needed someone to be right next to her to reassure her that she wouldn’t ever be trapped again. She would rather suffer a heart attack than be alone again. </p><p>However, now that her light was on, and Rem was floating by her bedside, she would be alright. Her breathing was evening out, and her tears were drying. For now, she would be just fine. </p><p>For now. </p><p>She slept lightly, constantly waking up and turning to the other side. She had to check if Rem was still there, or if she was alone once more. Every time, she would sigh with relief, when she saw Rem right next to her. The Shinigami would gently tell her to sleep, and that humans needed rest. When Misa had asked why she did what she did, Rem had told her:</p><p>“There’s nothing else to do. Shinigami don’t need sleep to survive, they only do it from boredom.” With an inexpressive face and a prominent presence, Rem had sat either next to her or on the corner of her bed until either Light would enter the room or until it was daytime once more.</p><p>Misa was trapped, though she didn’t realise it. She was in an emotional confinement, with Light manipulating her to his will and everyone else attempting to stifle her emotional expression. She was a puppet, who’s strings were being stretched almost too far. Her smile too wide, her laughter too loud, her hair too fluid. It was all an act, though she didn’t realise it. At this point in time, she had grown very accustomed to it, a little too accustomed. </p><p>Soon enough, those strings would snap, and the day they did, Misa wouldn’t know what to do with herself. </p><p>Finally, her eyes closed, and she slept peacefully. The world outside her could wait until the morning to make her sceptical.</p><p>Her entire life was run on borrowed time. Misa was waiting to die. She had split her life twice, and now what was once a long and full life was now a pitiful life, one that she wouldn’t be capable of living to the fullest. She would never fulfil her dreams of marriage or of having children. She would never be able to live in her dream world. Misa wouldn’t even be able to celebrate the spring season with Light. </p><p>Misa was running out of time, and soon enough, she would die. She would suffer the consequences of unfortunate events for the rest of her short lifespan. A lot of it would be spent crying, a lot of it would be spent alone, not even with Rem there to comfort her. All of her fears would be bared to the world, no longer concealed under strong foundation and fake giggles. </p><p>“Misa, it’s dawn now.” Rem spoke, shaking Misa as gently as her Shinigami-self could. Misa groaned gently, letting out a high pitched whine before rising slowly. She rubbed at her eyes, accidentally smudging last night’s makeup without even realising. Much to her disappointment, Light was not next to her in the bed, nor was he in the apartment.</p><p>“Rem, you can just say that it’s morning.” Misa directed her tired smile in Rem’s direction before straightening her bed hair slightly to look a little bit neater. </p><p>“Did you turn my lights off?” Rem nodded, slightly fidgeting with her claws. </p><p>“Yes, I turned them off once it was near colour time.” Misa just shook her head and smiled softly, Rem always had strange ways of referring to morning and night. Likely because the Shinigami world was always dark and grey. </p><p>“Thank you~” she bounced to her mirror, despite being exhausted. All of this enthusiasm was an act, however, she wasn’t sure whether she was doing it for Rem’s sake or for her own, though either way she was doing it for someone.  </p><p>Her makeup was smudged, and it felt heavy against her skin. Her hair was tussled in all directions, strands falling in random places and curling around each other. Her skin was as pale as ever and her red eyes were dulled more than usual. </p><p>Slowly, she began removing yesterday’s makeup. It wasn’t painful, though it was annoying, seeing as the makeup stuck to the skin more than usual. Eventually, she removed it all and there were a lot of makeup wipes in her black bin. She then began to brush her hair, fixating on the golden strands and how they straightened out, how they began to gleam. </p><p>Her makeup was reapplied, and a different colour palette was chosen to the one she wore the previous day. It was almost as if she was washing yesterday away and applying today instead. </p><p>No matter how scared she was of the world around her, and no matter how much her trauma plagued her, she didn’t allow it to get mixed in with the Kira investigation. She couldn’t reveal her and Light’s positions, not for freedom, not for life, not for anything. </p><p>She wouldn’t give up on him, no matter how many questions they may ask her. </p><p>Misa would never sacrifice Light for anything, even not for her own sanity. </p><p>Light was using her, and she didn’t give a shit. Light was manipulating her, and she saw past it. </p><p>It didn’t matter what he did, what anyone else did, her devotion to Light was far stronger than what anyone else could account for.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi everyone! This chapter came out late due to my lack of motivation and my excessive Japanese studying (at least 1-4 hours everyday). Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I look forward to doing the next one, I've been waiting to do it since forever! XD Since the first chapter was released actually.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. When Love Comes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>~~</p><p>Rem never understood her friend, Gelus. He often sat in front of the human portal, which was strange by itself, but he didn’t do it for the same reason as she. She sat there to learn more about the human world, about the way they lived and about the culture they had created for themselves. However, he sat there for a different reason. Gelus watched every move of Amane Misa, one of the humans in that world. </p><p>“Why do you always watch that human, Gelus? She’s the same as all of the others, they’re all the same.” Gelus didn’t turn around to acknowledge her, however, he did raise a single claw. </p><p>“She isn’t the same as them, she’s different. What do you suggest I watch the human world for instead, Rem?” Rem hovered behind her short friend, also staring into the human portal. For a short while, she watched the different humans do many different things. Some played tennis, others read, a few danced. </p><p>“The culture, the way they live, what they have created to entertain themselves. Do you notice any of these things? Of how humans have evolved and stepped back over the years? It’s rather intriguing. I pity them.” Gelus almost scoffed, his clawed hand reaching for the portal in longing. The girl was currently at what seemed to be a photoshoot, smiling away for the camera that flashed blindingly. </p><p>“I have no interest in such things, I am not nearly as curious as you are.” As the two watched Misa walk down the street after a photoshoot, alone in the middle of the night, something happened. A man stopped her. He wouldn’t let her pass, no matter how much she begged. </p><p>“If I can’t have you, no one else can!” Gelus flipped open his death note and wrote the name of the man down. He clutched onto the pages almost as if he knew he would fade into sand. Rem’s eyes widened and she focused her attention onto Gelus. </p><p>“Why would you do that?!” </p><p>Misa ran away into the night, and Gelus faded into sand. Rem had realised something in that moment. </p><p>The only way to kill a Shinigami was for them to sacrifice fate for love. </p><p>~~</p><p>Love was something she had always lived without feeling. She didn’t understand it when Gelus felt it, she didn’t understand it when Misa felt it. Before now, Rem never knew why people would do foolish things for love. When Misa read Romeo and Juliet to her again and again, she would sit on the foot of Misa’s bed with almost a fascinated stare. </p><p>Gelus had taught her that love was suffering, Misa had taught her that the euphoria that was felt with love was worth the suffering that may occur. Light had taught her love took many forms. L had taught her that even if didn’t show, it didn’t mean it wasn’t there.</p><p>It scared her for a long while, to her, the thought of being killed by an emotion you couldn’t control was terrifying. One couldn’t control when they fell in love and when they fell out of it. Why couldn’t fondness be a choice? All other emotions could be controlled, so why couldn’t love act the same?  </p><p>The love she experienced almost mirrored Misa’s love for Light in a way. How love was suffering nine times out of ten and it was euphoria one time out of ten. How the one out of ten made the nine out of ten worth going through. How it was a strange feeling, unlike anything she could’ve imagined. </p><p>Rem dreamed a lot, surprisingly. She mused and she contemplated. The human world used to be this main subject, though now, she had become less curious about it. The main thought in her head, at any given time of day, was Amane Misa. All her wonderings, her dreams and her questions pertained to the very girl she loomed behind on a daily basis. <br/>Misa was not what she expected. At first, when shadowing the girl, she expected for her to be like all the other humans. She expected someone shallow and selfish, Rem thought of all humans to be the same in nature and she did not expect any different of Misa. She thought that Gelus only watched her on a regular basis because she was pretty and small, not because of her personality. Months later, she would forget this presumption ever existed. </p><p>Her red eyes were filled with life and joy, her laughter filled the room with excitement. Her hands were warm in comparison with Rem’s own cold claws. She cared so much and loved so devotedly. Misa was different in every way; she was beautiful in the way that was not natural to the human world and her smile would bring life back to the dead. She was so filled with life that even a Shinigami would fall in love with her.</p><p>What Rem loved most about the human was how different she was to other humans. Most humans were selfish and dull, they were shallow according to her viewpoint. They focused on their own goals and their own lives, never considering the others that may be affected by their actions. Even those who claimed to be selfless sacrificed themselves not for the livelihoods of others but for the attention of those more fortunate and in higher places. However, Misa was different. </p><p>Misa was the only selfless human she knew, Misa wasn’t determined to destroy everyone, she didn’t sacrifice people for her own pleasure. She spent much of her time devoted to the love of her life and the new world they were creating together. Misa was Light’s eyes, and she was content that way. Misa would sacrifice everything for Light. </p><p>Though Rem did not agree with Kira’s morals, she didn’t care about this so called revolution so as long as Misa was happy. After all she had been going through, she deserved happiness. Though she was being manipulated at every turn and twist, and despite the questionable sincerity of Light’s love for her, she was happy. And that was all that mattered. </p><p>Light was no good for her, he was manipulative and cunning, he didn’t even love her. The object of his affections definitely wasn’t named Amane Misa, that was for certain. Light loved in the form of hidden emotions and constant competition, not lecturing and overly fake fawning. Light didn’t see what she saw, perhaps he was blind? </p><p>Misa danced under the disco ball in her bedroom, her LED lights glowing a bright pink and her carpet a dynamic purple. She sang along to the songs that played on the radio, a smile on her face. </p><p>Rem clutched onto her death note, floating out of the room with one last longing look. Her flight to the Task Force headquarters was slow and painful. She didn’t want to leave the young girl by herself, yet, she had to do this. She would only hope that Misa would understand. Rem would do anything for her happiness, whatever it took. </p><p>Love was terrifying, it made one do things such as what she was about to do. It made one foolish and incompetent. She really ought to turn back and let them figure it out themselves. However, Rem flew on, solidifying her choice.</p><p>As she arrived at Task Force Headquarters, Rem took time to look at their lifespans. Matsuda and Aizawa would live the longest, both of them having fulfilling lives and living beyond the age of 90. Mogi and Ide would be just a bit behind them, still enough to satisfy most humans. Despite being in the front lines of the battle between Kira and L, they were lucky enough to live longer than some of their human counterparts.   </p><p>What she noticed more than anything was the lifespan of Light and L, they both had extremely short lifespans. Alarmingly enough, these life spans were very similar, except for a difference in the last digit. Were they to die within the same day? Or was it an error? Light had a death note in his possession, so that could be possible. </p><p>When she knew that none of the humans were looking, she opened her death note and flicked to a blank page. Her hand hesitated to write; it had stopped on the page without making a single mark. </p><p>Light was evil, he was cruel, and she did not want him to win this battle. He was a corrupt human being, who took advantage of Misa and everyone around him. But, if Light was to stop placing his affections onto L, perhaps he would place them onto Misa instead.</p><p>If L was gone, Light would win. Yet, if L was gone, Misa would be finally happy. It had been so long, Misa deserved to be happy. </p><p>She wrote the name ‘Quillsh Wammy’ first, adding the detail to his death underneath it. He would die 10 minutes before L did. Next, she wrote L’s name down, with full details and the time of death in a few days. </p><p>As she closed her notebook, her hand begun to tremble. </p><p>“No…” She quickly realised what this was, what happened to Gelus was happening to her. She had crossed the boundary; she had gone too far. When she wrote down Watari and L’s names, it increased Misa’s lifespan, therefore, she was to die. </p><p>When she tried to fly away, she had faded to sand. All that was left of her existence was a pile of sand on the floor. </p><p>Misa would never know why Rem didn’t come back after that day. Light would guess, though there would be no one to verify. </p><p>Love had made Rem feel all the way alive, however, Shinigami were never destined to feel that way. Therefore, her demise was inevitable.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi! I know it's been a while and this chapter is shitty, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless! Next chapter is The Way It Ends! Whoo!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. The Way It Ends</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>L’s eyes blinked open and he groaned softly. He rubbed his eyes for a minute before sitting up. The time was exactly 7:52am, it was almost eerie in a sense. Though L had slept, he was still exhausted. In fact, sleeping had made everything worse. His head weighed like an anvil, and his eyes were only half opened. His hair was messy, strands were left, right, backward and forward. His lips felt dry and his throat was aching for water. </p><p>L shifted the covers off of his body, his arms reaching for a black outfit. He didn’t know why he wasn’t gravitating towards his usual clothing choices; however, he couldn’t bring himself to reach for them. His body wouldn’t allow him to perform the physical action itself, almost as if something was restricting it. Instead of thinking into it too much, he dressed himself languidly. Afterwards, he stumbled out of the room (despite not being hungover) and wandered into the kitchen. </p><p>“Good morning, Watari.” Watari raised his eyebrows when the man entered the room. The drinks cart was in front of him, and he was making a cup of tea for himself, it seemed. He was dressed in his suit, as per usual. At least something in the morning was consistent, L thought to himself.   </p><p>“Good morning, sir. Would you like tea?” L nodded, crouching on the edge of the couch the same way he did every morning. He buried himself in his arms, his head throbbing painfully.</p><p>“Yes, please.” His voice was muffled by his knees, but if he could be heard properly, he would sound like he was in pain. Watari nodded and poured his tea for him. L shivered uncomfortably, wincing as he wrapped the blanket around himself without poking his head out. The room had suddenly grown cold, or perhaps L’s body just had, because he was suddenly shaking. </p><p>“Sir, are you cold?” L poked his head out of his legs, much like the way a cat would. He shook his head in dismissal, not wanting to concern Watari with something that may just be paranoia. His teeth chattered slightly as he spoke, making his words delay themselves ever so slightly. However, it wasn’t noticeable. </p><p>“Only a little, I should be fine after tea.” Watari nodded uneasily, hesitating before leaving the room. L sunk into the couch, curling into the blanket and cushions. He sipped from his scorching tea slowly, every sip feeling timed, every lift and fall feeling planned for. At the time, L’s head was wrapped up in the case, therefore, by the time he finished his tea, he wasn’t thinking anything of the early morning. </p><p>Every step he took was in time to the beat of his heart, every movement he made was in sync with one another, every word he said felt as if he were reading from a textbook instead of from his mind. He hit every note the same way a flute would, he performed every action he made as though he was in a play. L grew to feel as if his actions were not under his control, as though he was made of wood and the person above him was pulling the strings. It was too contrived to seem normal. </p><p> </p><p>--</p><p> </p><p>Light kept his eye on the clock, every second that passed was another second closer to L’s death. As a minute would end and another would start, Light felt his heart pound faster and his eyes widen. There were three hours left until he would die, 180 minutes, 10800 seconds. With every significant milestone that would pass, a new wave of emotions would pass by Light. When there was one day left, he was gleeful, when there was 6 hours left, he was giggling with joy. </p><p>However, as it got closer and closer, and as the clock ticked, Light found himself wishing that time would go slower. In his mind, the seconds were ticking quicker and quicker, the minutes were fading before his eyes. He felt dread, though he didn’t know why. He wanted him dead, didn’t he? L was the last obstacle to go before reaching his new utopia. Then why did he feel this way?</p><p>As Light worked, he shifted himself closer and closer to L, almost subconsciously. It was so subtle that not even L himself noticed it. Something inside of Light wanted that last obstacle to still be there, despite having exhaustively tried to work over it for months. Light wanted the challenge there, and if L was gone, there would be no more challenge. </p><p>There was less than an hour left, and Light began to feel anxious. When the clock struck 6, L would die. He was fading fast, too fast. He wanted him gone, yet he wanted him there by his side. If only L didn’t burden his journey to be the god of the new world, then perhaps he would stay. </p><p>What was more important, his agenda or the game he and his opponent played?</p><p>At some point in time, Light’s reason to keep going with his conquest had changed. When he had started, he genuinely believed that with the death note; he would become the saviour to all of mankind, that he would be their revolution. However, now, he only continued so he could play the game that was between them and L. Until recently, Light himself wasn’t aware of this. And as time crept closer and closer, Light found himself not wanting to end the game. If L died, he would win the game, and he would continue with his quest the way he did at the beginning. There would be no stimulation, no motivation, no reason to keep going. </p><p>The title of Kira was nice, sure, and ruling the world seemed pretty cool too, but there was nothing he wanted more than to have L watch him win. </p><p>“Light-kun, can you look at this evidence for me?” Light nodded, pushing his chair towards L’s.</p><p>L typed the password of his computer into the textbox on the screen, every time he hit the keys it was with the same pressure and the same speed. It was robotic in a sense, almost scarily so. L noticed this and froze. </p><p>Why did every movement feel this way?</p><p>“Light-kun.” Light turned his head from where he was previously staring at the clock. </p><p>“I think I’m dying.” </p><p> </p><p>--</p><p> </p><p>Light could win the game. L now knew that he was dying, after having presumed he was under the control of the death note. He didn’t have enough evidence nor enough time to bring Light to justice. </p><p>“Everyone, if I die tonight…” As soon as he spoke, Matsuda stood up. </p><p>“How do you know if you’re going to die or not?” L calmly spun in his chair, curling into himself further. </p><p>“Because, Matsuda-san, I am currently not under my own control. I am currently under the control of the death note.” Matsuda’s mouth opened, then it closed, then the action repeated himself. He was not unlike a fish when he did that, if L was being honest. Matsuda was shocked, looking around the room to see the facial expressions of the other. Aizawa was still working, clearly thinking that L was exaggerating. The Chief looked the same as Matsuda himself, in shock that he would even say such a thing. Mogi was working, and his face was as neutral as always, he was very hard to read. As for Light, he showed no expression, not even neutrality. </p><p>“Okay…” Matsuda shrunk back to his desk, sitting down and curling in his chair ever so slightly. Light sighed, turning to L. </p><p>“We should get back on the case then, we have a very limited time to bring Kira to justice.” L nodded, turning to his computer screen. </p><p>“As I was saying, if I die, then Light-kun is Kira. And if substantial evidence that Light-kun is Kira isn’t found by the time I die, then the title of L will be inherited by Aizawa-san.” Aizawa stopped working, his eyes widening. Light protested loudly when L mentioned Kira.  </p><p>“You want me to be L? Why not Yagami-san? He’s a lot smarter than I am.” L hummed in disagreement. </p><p>“I don’t think that’s true, Aizawa-san. You are more willing to take action than Yagami-san is, if I were to die and Kira still isn’t found, Kira would be found quicker under your control than Yagami-san’s.” Aizawa blinked, then grunted slightly.</p><p>“Alright, I’ll do it if you die and Kira still isn’t found.” Aizawa stated quietly, secretly excited about the idea of being the next L. L rolled his eyes and got back to work. </p><p> </p><p>--</p><p> </p><p>There was 10 minutes left, and Light was panicking internally. 600 seconds, 6000 milliseconds. Time was running out fast, soon it would all be over, everything he had built up to defeat L would work. He would win the game. However, just because he had won did not mean he could declare victory. </p><p>L had already planned everything, he had planned for the team to suspect him when he died, he planned who the next L was going to be, he had the scenario laid out. Now, the circumstances were changing. If L died, he would lose. He would spend tedious months or even years trying to deter the suspicions of the task force. Nothing had gone the way he planned. </p><p>The plan was to have L make him the next L and once he dies, he holds control over everyone as both Kira and L. He can lead them off track, it didn’t matter whether they were dense or not, they wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. L was supposed to not know he was going to die until once he was dying. But of course, L had to pick it up. He was intelligent, of course he would. </p><p>But now, there was five minutes left until L had a heart attack and died. There were five minutes left until Light won their game and lost the battle with the task force. There were five minutes left until Aizawa claimed the position of L.</p><p>Light regretted it now, he realised. He wanted L to be alive, he didn’t want to lose him. Competing with L was the only thing that gave him any form of emotion nowadays, being Kira had desensitised him to the world so severely that the most feeling he ever had was when he was with L. He wasn’t certain of what these feelings were, perhaps he was merely dreading change, or maybe he didn’t want to lose to the task force, he didn’t know. </p><p>40 seconds, the time it took to have a heart attack. That was how many seconds were left until he was gone. Tears formed in Light’s eyes and he couldn’t stop staring at L. Within a short time, this man in front of him would be gone. </p><p>“L, I’ll miss you.” L turned his head, peeking his eyes out from behind his knees.</p><p>“Whatever do you mean, Light-kun? Surely, I won’t die right this minute. Don’t be overemotional.” </p><p>5,</p><p>4,</p><p>3,</p><p>2,</p><p>1.</p><p>Light screamed as L fell, scrambling out of his seat to hold him in his arms. L’s eyes were half closed and he was smirking tiredly. </p><p>“Yagami Light, I have won.” L’s eyes rolled to the back of his head, and his eyelids closed slowly. The life faded away from his cheeks, and all that could be heard was Light’s scream and the cackling of Ryuk.  </p><p>If only there had been a minute more. </p><p>A minute more.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi! Sorry for not updating in like a month! But... life has been busy, and I haven't been too motivated to write for this story until recently. I know it's been left quite ominous, and I apologise, but all will be explained in Requiem (the last chapter).</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Requiem</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kira didn’t win. </p><p>He had been killed by a cackling Ryuk mere minutes after L’s death. His name had been written and he had died in front of his father and the rest of the task force, all of which went to therapy after the case due to trauma. Especially Matsuda, who had believed in Light’s innocence more than anyone else had.</p><p>Now that there was no Kira, and no L chasing him down, society had gone back to the way it used to be. Those who didn’t support Kira said that this was the way society was meant to be, those who supported Kira said that the world was a dangerous place now that Kira was gone. Crime rate was decreased by around five percent from what it was before Kira came to be, however, it wasn’t enough for supporters. </p><p>Those against Kira felt free against the struggle they had previously faced. Finally, life was as it should be, and they could get on with their days without Kira creeping above them. Society was meant to be flawed, according to these people, and now that Kira was gone, society would be undeniably flawed. Yes, problems were bad, however, they needed to fix these problems, not hide them. They needed to prevent them, not rid the world of those who had already committed the crime. </p><p>Supporters of Kira thought differently. They thought that society had been better with Kira at its rule. With Kira punishing criminals and those who did bad things, they felt safer to walk the streets at night. The news wasn’t filled with people who had committed terrible sins and had gotten away with it. Then, the world had been a more productive and positive place for them. But now, Kira had disappeared and the world had gone back to its old normal. These people would say that the world has regressed, rather than improved. Some supporters of Kira believed he would come back, whilst others mourned his disappearance. </p><p>The actions of Kira were currently being written into history books as the world stood in that moment. His name was whispered among those who still believed he was there, and they had passed their stories down onto their children and families. Kira certainly had created a legacy for himself, altering perceptions on morality and crime forever. </p><p>Though Kira was no longer here, and crime rate was almost the same, many people had been altered permanently. For better or for worse, their entire lives had changed. </p><p>Yagami Sayu was one of those who had been altered for worse, more so than anyone else. Misa had told her after the day that Light died that he was Kira and that she was the second Kira. Sayu hadn’t believed it at first, of course she couldn’t, Light was her hero. She had denied and denied until she couldn’t deny it anymore. Then, all she could do was cry. She cried for the brother she had lost, not only about his death but also about the brother she lost to Kira. To think that he used to be her hero…</p><p>She couldn’t trust anyone anymore. Light was someone she trusted more than anyone else, and he turned out to be Kira. Her friends had distanced themselves from her, majority had already left her due to her overwhelmingly strong views against Kira. The rest had distanced themselves due to her dramatic change in personality. Before, she was bright and friendly, she was an angel to those in her life. However, now, she was paranoid and mistrusting. She checked her food for poison before she ate it, she closed doors as softly as possible just in case they would fall in her hand. She didn’t answer questions about her personal life, she didn’t talk to anyone at school anymore. </p><p>Her parents were at a loss, they didn’t know why she hardly cry, why she didn’t attend the funeral. She only watched from a distance, and when they asked her why, she told them to mind their business. They didn’t know why she didn’t speak to others anymore, why she only ate when in her room alone, why she carried pepper spray by her side. They know that it wasn’t because of crime, seeing as she wasn’t a Kira supporter, so what else could it be? </p><p>Why would she lock herself in Light’s room for hours on end? </p><p>Sachiko was lost without her son home. She had been told by Aizawa that Kira killed him, though none of the local news stations had reported about it. She was devastated, and she spent her days mourning the loss of her son and pondering over what she could have done better. </p><p>Was she too overbearing? Did she care too much for his achievements and not enough for the person who earned those achievements? Did she not call him enough? Did she not say “I love you” to him enough? Could time have been better spent with him before he passed? Sachiko had many regrets when it came to Light, and many mistakes that she had made. </p><p>However, she would not allow herself to make those same mistakes with Sayu. She knew she couldn’t. Another deceased child would break her, she feared. </p><p>His son was Kira, his son. How had this happened? Light had been so perfect, there was never a hair out of place when it came to him. Everyone who had known him had said that Light behaved so much like Soichiro it was uncanny. And that was true. Light was much like himself, until he became Kira. Then he became an actor, who performed lines and actions via the script in his head in order to fool both him and the men he worked with. How had they not seen it?</p><p>Light was so innocent, as a child. He asked many questions about the world around him, they seemed to never end. After he had learned almost everything he could, he had studied it again and again. He never had a rebellious phase, he never threw tantrums, he never defied anyone. Was him becoming Kira compensation for what he hadn’t gone through? </p><p>After Light had died, Soichiro had realised many things, and he had formed many regrets. He wished he was home more, he wished he had nurtured Light more as his wife had done. It had crushed him to know that if he had spent more time with Light, Light wouldn’t have become Kira. Light first became Kira because he wanted his attention, because he wanted his father to come home more. Misa had told him these things, as she thought that he had deserved to know. </p><p>If he was home more, the world’s biggest criminal would have never been born. </p><p>That realisation had shattered him.</p><p>Misa’s biggest fears were coming to life. She was now alone, with both Rem and Light gone. Matsuda and Mogi visited her regularly, and called nearly every night, yes, however, it wasn’t enough. Most of the time, in the morning and in the late night, she was alone and paralysed with fear. Rem had disintegrated due to sacrificing herself for Misa, and Light had died at the hands of Ryuk. </p><p>She had always liked Rem, not romantically, but she was a good friend of Misa’s. She was a quiet Shinigami, always looming rather than haunting. She was also friendly, doing Misa’s hair for her and passing her things she couldn’t reach on the top shelf. Rem was Misa’s best friend, though she wasn’t human. Misa missed her very much, and she often wondered just how often she would take Rem for granted. She didn’t know what she had lost until she did lose it. </p><p>And Light… oh Light. The Shinigami had killed him, according to Matsuda. They had found out he was Kira when the killings stopped after he died. After Light died, everything halted itself for Misa. Time had frozen, the days repeated themselves in loops of crying and silence, her life had frozen. She didn’t remember the last time she had gone to the shops; her cupboards were nearly empty. She supposed that Mogi would fill them later, knowing him.</p><p>At first, she loved the idea of Kira, not Light himself, at least, not yet. As she learned more about Light, and as she spent more time with him, she fell further into the rabbit hole of love. He had given her so little that she had grown obsessed with what she did have. She had become addicted to the small doses he gave her. She wanted more, it was as if Light was a drug, and she was the poor victim who had been looped in. Light had destroyed the little pieces of her life she did, however, she didn’t care. She wanted him back, that was all she could think of. Him, and that he was gone. </p><p>Her Romeo and Juliet story would never come to fruition if her beloved Light was the only one to die. Perhaps in heaven, she would see him again.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Everyone! The series is finally finished! I have enjoyed writing for this story so much, and I'd like to quickly thank everyone who commented and who gave kudos to this story. Your support means a lot to me, and I appreciate it so much. </p><p>I hope you enjoyed this very last chapter, and the rest of this story. &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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